Defining Healthy for Kids with Dr. Katie Loth & Dr. Charlotte Markey

What does healthy mean for kids? It means supporting their physical and emotional well-being without steering them toward a particular weight, size, or appearance. Parents can focus on offering a variety of foods, making movement enjoyable, encouraging body respect, and helping children learn to trust themselves.

In the video below, Dr. Katie Loth and Dr. Charlotte Markey answer parents’ questions about food, body image, movement, social media, and eating disorder prevention.

Focus on Health, Not Weight

Children hear messages about dieting, weight, and appearance from social media, friends, schools, sports, and sometimes healthcare settings. You cannot control every message they encounter, but you can create a healthier culture at home.

Try to focus family conversations on energy, enjoyment, sleep, emotional well-being, and what bodies allow people to do. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidance on healthy, active lives similarly emphasizes supporting health through nutrition, movement, sleep, technology use, and emotional well-being.

Provide Structure Without Micromanaging

You can offer structure around meals while still helping your child develop independence. Dr. Loth recommends thinking about separate responsibilities for adults and children:

• Adults decide what food is offered.
• Adults decide when and where meals and snacks happen.
• Children decide whether to eat the foods offered.
• Children decide how much to eat.

This approach can reduce power struggles and help children recognize their own hunger and fullness. It may be especially helpful for a child who is more interested in food than their siblings or peers. Learn more about the division of responsibility at mealtimes.

Help Kids Question the Messages Around Them

As children grow, they make more food and movement choices outside the home. Your goal is not to give them a perfect set of rules. It is to help them think carefully, care for themselves, and recognize unreliable information.

Talk with older kids about filters, advertising, influencers, and who profits from the advice they see online. WithAll’s free Parent’s Guide to Social Media can help you start those conversations.

Know When Behavior May Be a Warning Sign

A desire to get healthy can sometimes hide growing anxiety about food or appearance. Pay attention when eating or exercise becomes rigid, compulsive, or begins taking up considerable mental space.

Possible warning signs include:

• Eliminating entire food groups without a medical reason
• Becoming distressed after missing a workout
• Avoiding social situations involving food
• Frequently checking or criticizing their body
• Using protein powders or other supplements to change their appearance

Ask calm questions about what is driving the change. If you remain concerned, contact a pediatrician or an eating disorder professional. Early support can prevent a troubling pattern from becoming more serious.

Small Changes Can Shape Lifelong Health

You will not handle every conversation perfectly. If you make a comment you regret, acknowledge it and try again. By focusing less on weight and more on trust, variety, enjoyment, and well-being, you can help your child build skills that support both physical and emotional health.

Small shifts in what you say can make a big difference. Get our free 7 Guiding Principles and learn What to Say to help kids feel good in their bodies and with food.