HEALTH; Help your child to beat their body hang-ups: Dear Miriam.

Byline: MIRIAM STOPPARD 

If it's not obesity we're worried about with our children and teens, it's extreme dieting and thinness.

A survey this week revealed some shocking truths - girls as young as 10 are anxious about their weight, while half of 11 to 16-year-olds restrict what they eat to stay slim.

More alarmingly, one in 10 of those aged 11 to 16 say they'd consider drastic measures such as a gastric band or surgery, while nearly a quarter of 16-to-21-year-olds would consider cosmetic surgery.

These findings are from a survey by Girlguiding UK, which asked more than 1,100 girls and women aged seven to 21 about their views on topics such as body image and eating disorders.

This image obsession bothers me for two reasons: not only does it damage self-esteem but it promotes behaviour that can be as physically harmful as obesity.

Extreme diets and yo-yo dieting can result in health problems which range from nutritional deficiency, iron-deficiency, anaemia and osteoporosis to low immunity.

I feel for young girls as they're bombarded by more unrealistic role models than ever - from Barbie, with her impossible proportions, to perfect, airbrushed and unreal images of celebrities in magazines.

Here's how to help your kids develop a healthy body image: Hide your own hang-ups Young kids are great copycats so, if you're always talking about your weight in an anxious way, they're likely to develop the same approach.

Keep them active Encouraging exercise is one of the most important ways you can help your child achieve a healthy weight for life.

Go for family walks at weekends, take a ball to your local park or use the park gym if there's one near you. I do this with my grandkids sometimes and they love it. As they get older, encourage them to join sports teams.

Promote health over thinness When talking about food, emphasise the health benefits of fruit and vegetables rather than talking about calories and fat. But do as you say - you can't expect your kids to eat healthily if you don't.

Don't ban foods A banned food may have forbidden-fruit appeal to a child. So let them have things like chips, crisps and chocolate - but restrict them.

Buy smart Snacks like crisps vary considerably when it comes to fat and calorie content so check the label before you buy.

Avoid stockpiling them too - if they're not in the cupboard, they can't be eaten. Instead, buy healthy snacks such as fruit.

Combat peer pressure Peer pressure to have a particular look can be fierce so it's important to instil in your child that you value them for who are they are rather than what they look like. Encourage them to have role models who are valued for what they've done rather than how they appear.

Keep it real Talk to older kids about realistic expectations, including how the celebrities they see in magazines only look that great after hours of styling and airbrushing.