How Libby Trickett is talking to her kids about the ultra-thinness trend

Heroin chic is back. Here's how to talk to your kids about it Libby Trickett grew up in the heroin chic era of the 90s and faced intense body shaming throughout her career. "You are in the smallest amount of fabric possible, and you're on display for all of the world to see, and it can be incredibly confronting, especially growing up in that environment," the seven-time Olympic swimming medallist told Yumi Stynes, host of ABC podcast Ladies, We Need to Talk. After decades of progress around body positivity, 41-year-old Trickett says "it's scary" to see a resurgence of ultra-thinness. And she wants to protect her children from it. "My oldest daughter has already had comments about her body through school friends, relatives … at eight years old, which is ridiculous." Experts say the rise of ultra-thinness is putting children at risk of body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem and eating disorders, and that parents — who may be having their own struggles with the trend — need to address what their kids are seeing. Why is ultra-thinness back? Janet Lowndes, psychologist and director of an eating disorder clinic in Melbourne/Naarm, says "we're in a perfect storm" regarding diet culture. "People have been dieting since as far back as history tells us about people's attempts to change their bodies. "What we're seeing [now] is that there is firstly, a medically sanctioned way that people can significantly reduce their appetite," she says, referencing the rise in GLP-1 as a weight-loss drug. "Secondly, we have the saturation of social media where people can share their journey. "And the third aspect is … media obsession with showing thin bodies." How kids are influenced by body image trends Vivienne Lewis is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Canberra with a focus on body image, body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. She says the problem with social media is that children don't necessarily have to go looking for this content. "Once they have watched or engaged with something about appearance or weight, they may be shown more of the same." She says research shows that social comparison is an important factor in body dissatisfaction. "When young people repeatedly see a particular body shape being admired, they can start comparing themselves with that ideal and feeling that they are somehow not good enough. "This is particularly concerning during adolescence, when young people are already becoming more conscious of their appearance and what other people think of them." Dr Lewis says the impact on children can range from feeling unhappy with their bodies and having lower self-esteem, through to dieting, excessive exercise and disordered eating. "It is concerning when young people become so focused on how they look that it affects their confidence, relationships and enjoyment of life." And parents may be facing their own struggles with the ultra-thin trend, too, Ms Lowndes says. "Statistics tell us that up to a quarter of people experiencing an eating disorder are women age 40-plus." Talking to children about the ultra-thin trend Trickett says she has open conversations with her kids about what they might see in the media. "My kids don't have access to social media at this stage of their lives … but if they happen to come across one of the celebrities in the media … with extreme thinness, I would talk to them about that." Trickett says she might say, "That is not a well body, and I hope that she is getting the support and love that she might be needing." She says she doesn't always get it right, but "you have to have that willingness to have imperfect conversations." Dr Lewis encourages parents to talk about body image and trends with their kids naturally, rather than making it a "big, serious conversation". "If they are watching something together or looking at social media, they might say, 'Have you noticed how much attention there seems to be on being really thin at the moment? What do you think about that?'" Be curious, ask questions Dr Lewis says parents should be interested in hearing what children think before jumping in with advice. "Sometimes we are surprised by what children have already noticed or the conclusions they have drawn." Asking questions can also help children think more critically about what they are seeing. "Why is a particular body shape being promoted? Are the images realistic? Have they been edited? Is someone trying to sell us something?" Dr Lewis says. Explaining that bodies come in different shapes and sizes is also important, she says. "For children going through puberty, it is particularly important that they understand their bodies are supposed to change." More broadly, she says focusing less on appearance is helpful, so children don't believe how they look is the most interesting thing about them. "That includes avoiding comments about other people's weight or shape, even when they are intended as compliments. "For example, telling someone they look fantastic because they have lost weight can unintentionally reinforce the idea that losing weight is something we should all aspire to. "We need to help children recognise all the things that make them who they are, whether that's their kindness, sense of humour, interests, friendships, abilities or values." Body positivity starts with you Children are listening to how we talk about our own bodies, too, says Ms Lowndes. "And how they talk about their own eating behaviours and how they talk about the adjustments or changes that are happening with their body." When it comes to food and exercise, she says it's better to shift the focus to "taking care of our bodies" so we can do the things we enjoy, rather than appearance. "The way we talk about when the tray of chocolates come out and [saying] 'Oh, I'm being a bit naughty.' … or do we just say: 'Mm, chocolate, delicious. I'll have the strawberry one. Thank you very much.'" Dr Lewis says we don't have to love our bodies all the time — or expect our children too either — but we can learn to accept them and treat them with respect. "A parent who isn't completely happy with their body but still puts on their swimmers and enjoys a day at the beach is actually modelling something quite important. "They are showing their child that they don't need to look a certain way to enjoy themselves." Where to get support Children may not say they are unhappy with their bodies, Dr Lewis says, but there will be changes in their behaviour. "Are they becoming more critical of their appearance? Are they avoiding particular foods, skipping meals, exercising excessively, checking their bodies frequently or avoiding activities because they're worried about how they look?" She suggests starting a conversation with something like "I've noticed you've been a bit unhappy with how you look lately. Is there something that's been worrying you?" "Try to listen without immediately reassuring them that they look fine. "While that's a natural response, it doesn't necessarily help children understand or manage what they're feeling." If concerns are ongoing, Dr Lewis says to speak with a GP or a psychologist who works in body image and eating disorders. Ms Lowndes says parents should also recognise when they need help. "The experience of hearing something through the lens of their children is the way a lot of parents recognised something unresolved or uncared for in themselves. "It's important for the adults to say, 'Hey, maybe I need some help with this so that I can help myself in order to be there for the other people in my life as well.'"