A NYT article came out recently summarizing a study of 500 women and their experiences as young girls when it came to weight and parental comments about it (the link to the article is embedded):
Then, in a running and fitness newsletter, one of the contributors wrote an essay directing attention to the fact that the article in question pertained mostly to women and that it may be different for males.
Also, he contends that parent comments, if tender and timed right, could be an impetus to healthy lifestyle change. He does not go on to say how this should be done or when but he simply argues that an absolute caveat may not be warranted.
This could ignite quite a firestorm in the eating disorders community. The fitness community, of course, goes ‘duh’…until or unless we are parents of young girls.