BOOK REVIEW: Real Kids Come in All Sizes

Real Kids Come in All Sizes
By Kathy Kater. ©2004, 253 pages, Broadway Books, paperback, $14.00

This invaluable book for parents and educators can help prevent eating disorders in children and preteens entering puberty. Kater, whose Healthy Body Image curriculum is one of the most widely-used body image books in schools, has taken the most crucial, current ideas in the prevention literature and has made it accessible for adult readers. She presents the cultural realities for children growing up today and blends these observations with solid, essential lessons that grown-ups can share with kids.

Part one summarizes information on girls’ development (and some about boys, too) and the costs of having a poor body image. She also dispels common myths, such as "image is everything" or "fatter people are undesirable or bad." A central theme is to discourage dieting, "Most of the general public today still embraces dieting, even for teens and children, as a method of weight control, not aware that both research and overwhelming clinical evidence have demonstrated it is counterproductive." Kater explores the reasons girls want to lose weight, and she spends the rest of the book convincing readers why that is futile and what to do about it.

Part two is filled with 10 Essential Lessons that are based on talking with kids to help them embody a healthy self-image. These lessons are sprinkled with stories, activities, affirmations, and easy-to-grasp messages about sometimes complex subjects. The explanations about the influence of genetics on body type and how the body regulates weight make complicated ideas attainable for children. Thoughtful questions are answered, such as "What should I tell my child when her Aunt Sue is dieting?" Kater provides sensible recommendations about good nutrition, appropriate exercise, and how to view advertising to promote media literacy. She also points out the need for positive role models that assist adults in focusing on worthwhile qualities to live by and teach.

This practical guide can assist in the recovery process for families of youngsters with eating disorders, but it really is intended for a much broader audience; and, they will not find a better book for preventing eating disorders and body image problems.