Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xAilVbLJ0fg A teen boy’s obsession with body building and strengthening can be every bit as dangerous to his health as a teen girl’s obsession with her weight and shape.  This warning comes from the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the University of California-San Francisco. In contrast to girls’ dangerous practices of gorging and purging, boys tend to over consume protein, dangerously restrict carbs and fats, practice wide swings of nutrient loading with fasting, and compulsively exercise thus creating energy deficits and de facto malnourishment.  Even worse, many adolescent boys consume untested and unregulated dietary supplements and steroids. We as parents and doctors need to actively look for these tell-tale clues in teen boys and help them deal with the self-image issues that trigger their dangerous behaviors.   Guys will never admit to having an eating disorder.  After all, only girls have those problems right guys? Jason MNagata,Tiffany ABrown,Jason MLavender,Stua