Eating disorders are the second most common chronic medical condition during adolescence. Families can absolutely help reduce the risk of their child or teen developing an unhealthy relationship with food. Here are 5 things as adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Did you know that dieting is the #1 risk factor for developing an eating disorder?

I didn’t know that when I was a teenager. And I suspect my parents didn’t either. We can’t guarantee that our kids will be safe from developing disordered eating or an eating disorder, but we can help reduce their risk by discouraging dieting in the first place.

What’s really awesome is that parents can be the first line of defense against dieting and disordered eating.