Diet Culture Rebel Podcast 222. Raising Kids in a Weight-Obsessed World (and the Truth About Growth Charts) with Dr. Erin Knopf
”The last thing we ever want to do to a child’s body is shrink it. If we make a child’s body a lower weight, it completely derails their development, their internal signaling, interrupts their physical and cognitive growth - all of it.”
If you’re a parent or if you ever were a kid in a world obsessed with BMI and weight, this episode is a must-listen. I sat down with Dr. Erin Knopf, who is not only a board-certified pediatrician and psychiatrist, but also an eating disorder specialist who’s boldly calling out the harmful ways our medical system talks about weight, especially when it comes to kids. If you’ve ever left a pediatrician’s office feeling uneasy about body or food advice or if you’re working on healing your own inner child, there is so much wisdom for you here.
We dig deep into the real dangers of focusing on weight in childhood, why trying to shrink a child’s body does more harm than good, and how growth charts and BMI are often misused and misunderstood. Dr. Knopf shares heartbreaking examples, and evidence-based reasons why praise for things like wedding-dress size decades later is not only unhelpful, but actively harmful. She brings science, context, and genuine compassion to this conversation.
Even if you don’t have kids, this one’s for you. We were all once children shaped by these messages, and many of us are still unpacking them. Whether you’re worried about passing these beliefs on or realizing you internalized them long ago, let this episode be an invitation to unlearn and start fresh, for yourself and the next generation.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why shrinking a child’s body is never the answer, and what the real developmental risks are
- How weight stigma shows up both physically and psychologically
- The truth about growth charts and BMI - what most parents (and many doctors!) don’t know
- Why “health” can’t be measured by weight alone for kids, teens, or adults
- How to talk about food and bodies at home to break the cycle and foster genuine well-being
- What to do if you’re realizing you’ve accidentally passed on unhelpful messages to your children
If this episode brought up feelings for you, know that’s okay, and that awareness is a gift. You are not a bad parent or a bad person for having learned these ideas, and you’re absolutely capable of creating positive change, starting today. By healing your own relationship with food and your body, you’re also helping build a compassionate foundation for those you love.
Was today's episode helpful for you? If so, I know you'll also love my past conversation with Dr. Maggie Landes, where we dive even deeper into weight stigma in the healthcare system.
Connect with Dr. Erin Knopf:
Come back next week for another episode and connect with me over on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel
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