Shoulders Down

In this episode of Shoulders Down Podcast, Leah talks with Dr. Lauren Hartman, a double board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, about why dieting and weight-focused care can be especially harmful for children and teens — and what she’s seeing on the front lines of adolescent eating disorder treatment. Drawing from nearly 20 years of experience across hospital systems, outpatient care, and national leadership roles, Dr. Hartman explains why weight loss is rarely sustainable, how dieting increases eating disorder risk, and why a medicalized focus on weight often misses what young people actually need to thrive. Leah and Dr. Hartman also discuss the rise in eating disorders among adolescents, the role of social media and diet culture, and growing concerns around GLP-1 medications. You’ll hear about: A doctor’s perspective on why dieting and weight loss often backfireWhether eating disorders are on the rise among adolescents — and what’s driving the increaseHow social media and diet culture impact teens’ relationships with food and bodyGLP-1 medications and the risks of prescribing them to young peopleWhat informed consent should include when it comes to weight-loss interventionsHow parents can help protect children from diet culture and weight stigmaMore From Dr. Lauren Hartman: https://www.aspengroveayam.com/ More From Leah: 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.Send me a voice message on SpeakpipeEmail me: Leah@leahkernrd.com