Victoria Beckham had a "really honest" conversation with her daughter about her eating disorder

She told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "We just had a really honest conversation, and I explained that when you have issues with food, it is all consuming.

"It is sad. It's a very lonely place.

"I thought it was important that she heard it from me before she saw it at the theatre."

Victoria hopes the teenager enjoys a "really healthy relationship" with food and admitted it is a subject they have discussed regularly because she knows it can be a big issue for young girls.

She said: "We've actually talked about food for quite some time, because the one thing that doesn't seem to change is that little girls think a lot about food as they're growing up, and when their bodies are changing and when they're going through puberty.

"And my wish for Harper is that she has a really healthy relationship with food, and that she eats healthily. We all want to treat ourselves as well, but it's about balance. Harper's also very fit and plays a lot of sport, but we've talked about food before, because that is a conversation that's flying around at school."

The documentary highlights the scrutiny the former Spice Girls singer - who also has Brooklyn, 26, Romeo, 23, and 20-year-old Cruz with husband David - has faced over her weight, including being weighed live on TV by Chris Evans on TFI Friday just two months after she'd given birth to her first child.

And while Victoria was "hurt" by the stunt, she admitted her kids were particularly appalled.

She said: "All of the kids were really, really shocked with what they saw in that documentary.

"It wouldn't happen now. And the truth is, it really hurt. Words can really hurt people - I always say this to the children.

"Words are so powerful, and you really have to choose your words carefully. And I've never talked about this before."

Victoria hopes speaking out about her struggles will help other people.

She said: "I never want to look like I'm complaining. I've always just taken it on the chin. I was always told to take the high ground and I think that's something that we've always lived by.

"But now seemed like the right time. It's a very different world now, and I think that lots of women can relate to what I was talking about. I was ashamed of it, you know. You become very good at hiding those things and lying.

"And I was nervous to talk about it. Of course I was, because people have been talking about my weight since I was really young, even before I was famous. "But I now have a young daughter, and I think that talking about things like this are really, really important.

"We're so much more aware of mental health. And, you know, I hope people will listen to me."