It's sad it starts that young. Part of the problem I think is the clothes for young kids anymore. When I was a kid of around 8, we wouldn't be allowed out in hot pants and mid drifts Looking through alot of the Mary Kate and Ashley clothes at stores here my SO and I both swear my daughter won't get any. She can sneak them to school in her backpack like any other kid

I think alot of it comes from parents constantly complaining about thier weight. I heard a 3-4 year old at the park saying "this outfit makes me look so fat." Of course she probably had no idea what she was saying, just repeating what her mom said. When your constantly putting yourself down though then your child hears "Oh how pretty, youlook just like your mother" form a well meaning person, they may not take it as a compliment. "Well mom always says how fat she is, if I look like her I must be fat too."

I'm very careful never to use the word diet, or fat around the kids. I just say we are all going to eat healthy. My son usually takes the bun off a hotdog or hamburger anyway because it just tastes better that way. He doesn't even blink when I do it too Now if I could just get him to eat salad with me.