Keeping open channels of communication is also important in nurturing an environment where a child feels comfortable talking about problems, issues and insecurities.

Adults seeking help for eating disorders often say that there was a breakdown or a conflict in values between them and their parents. The important here is that this breakdown is not necessarily something dramatic like abuse or overt neglect – it can be built up stress from a perception that a parent did not have enough time or motivation to take a child’s priorities and worries seriously.