#4: How do I help kids in larger bodies?
with Kendrin Sonneville, ScD, RD
In this episode we discuss:
defining the term “larger body”
how doctors can unintentionally cause harm by over-focusing on weight as a marker health
the power of words and impact of stigmatizing terms like “overweight” and “obesity”
why weight is not the problem - “thinking your weight is the problem is actually the problem”
how to understand correlational studies between weight and health
advice for parents of kids in larger bodies
why eating a cookie is a life skill
self-compassion for parents
Dr. Sonneville helps us understand the research on what doctors and parents can do to promote health and well-being in kids of all sizes.
Get our guide to body-positive parenting, including the page for this podcast episode.
Dr. Kendrin Sonneville, ScD, RD. is a registered dietitian, behavioral scientist, public health researcher, and assistant professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She also holds an adjunct appointment at Harvard Medical School and is a Collaborating Mentor for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders (STRIPED) at Boston Children's Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Sonneville’s research uses a weight-inclusive framework and focuses on the prevention of eating disorders among children, adolescents, and young adults.