Fostering Positive Body Image

With summer upon us, and the beach beckoning, this can be a challenging time for those of us susceptible to negative body image.

It's easy to get swept up in the things that bring us down and that is when self doubt can creep in. Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to let go and make way for our inner child to emerge by being playful, having fun and engaging in the moment.

Being outdoors and getting active can boost our confidence, and therefore our self esteem. And nothing beats living with joy and laughter and sharing these moments with the people you love.

In my book Why Can't I Look the Way I Want, there is a section titled 'How Do I Stay Positive?' It talks about inner wisdom; the voice that speaks from your heart. This voice represents your untapped potential to trust in your own uniqueness, your ability to strive for and realise your dreams. Only you have the power to change your life; catch negative thoughts as and when they occur and turn your thinking around, transforming your thoughts into strong, positive ideals.

Here are some tips if you start experiencing negative thoughts:

1. Ask yourself ‘where is this coming from’? Can you back track your thoughts until you find what triggered the initial negative thought? Ask yourself why this thought upset you and decide what action you can take to resolve it.
2. Acknowledge that it’s okay to feel down sometimes. Everyone has bad days. Then do something to lift your mood. Read your favourite passage from a book, go for a walk in the sunshine or dance to an awesome song.
3. Create a collection of affirmations that inspire you and say them to yourself often, including when you’re in a great mood. My favourite is: “I am honest, caring and a true reflection of happiness. I am creating a wonderful life”.
4. A fun thing to do is create Affirmation Cards. Get your friends together with some index cards. On the top of each card write a person's name. Pass these around, have everyone write down one thing they love about each person and then take turns reading them aloud. Keep your affirmation card with you and look at it often.
5. Record your thoughts and feelings in a journal. How do you feel today? Why do you think you feel that way? Then choose the best moment of the day and write that down. Why was it so great? Think of ways you can create more of these moments in each day.
6. Practice gratitude. What are some of the amazing things in your life that make you smile? Great friends, sunshine, summer parties, walks on the beach … focus on these instead of thinking about what might be missing in your life.
7. If you can’t seem to escape the negative thoughts, talk, talk, talk to your trusted friends. Talk it all out. Vent until you feel better. Offloading will help you to let it go.

Remember that positive body image stems from self-love; how you feel about yourself on the inside. Keep your life focused on believing in yourself and all that you are capable of. As Tyra Banks famously said "Never dull your shine for somebody else". Words to live by.

Steriod Abuse Rife amongst Body Conscious Boys

A recent article exposed a shocking fact cited by child health experts: boys as young as 13 are taking steroids to get the ''six-pack'' physique of their sporting heroes.

Clinical psychologist Rita Princi says that body image has become so important that teenage boys are prepared to risk their health by taking steroids if it helps to make them appear more attractive.

''Boys are wanting that buff, manly body and believe that one way to obtain it is to take steroids,'' Ms Princi said. ''They are getting too focused on what they look like rather than who they are.''

University of Sydney child health researcher Jenny O'Dea said she conducted a 2002 study that found teenage boys had started using steroids or were buying pills from a gym or drug dealer to ''bulk up''. "In many ways boys are under more pressure than girls because the girls' task is to be slim but the boys' task is to be slim and then build up muscle,'' Dr O'Dea said.

My book Why Can't I Look the Way I Want; Overcoming Eating Issues exposes a disturbing trend amongst guys being the belief they do not have big enough muscles. A person suffering anorexia thinks 'no matter how much I restrict food, exercise or purge I'm not thin enough', whereas a person suffering muscle dysmorphia thinks 'no matter how much I work out, or how many steroids or muscle-enhancing supplements I take, I can't build enough muscle mass'. As a result, males can develop an obsession with lifting weights in their quest to obtain a muscular physique.

According to Dr Murray Drummond of the University of South Australia, muscle dysmorphia is associated with the drive for muscularity. "Because muscles are created by physical effort, if males want to attain the desired physique, they have to consciously go out and try to achieve it," he says.

Because it is socially and culturally acceptable for guys to undertake a lot of physical activity, body dissatisfaction can often go unnoticed by family and friends. Worse, the behaviours could be encouraged. Working out at the gym is 'healthy'; however working out to mask feelings of inadequacy is not.

Melbourne doctor Rick Kausman, who specialises in weight and eating issues, said he was not surprised teenage boys were using steroids. ''What I am seeing is more boys in distress around their body image,'' Dr Kausman said. ''There's a shift towards doing gym to make my body look better compared to doing gym to be fit for footy.''

Misuse of anabolic steroids can cause cardiac, liver and renal problems and lead to severe mood swings.

As always, we need to be vigilant and watch for warning signs to help the males we love who may be suffering low self esteem and a negative body image. Warning signs include an overaggressive approach to fitness, following dietary programs to the extreme, an increased interest in fitness magazines and a change in eating habits. This can be triggered by childhood bullying, difficulties dealing with being gay, low self esteem due to issues during childhood such as emotional or sexual abuse and parental strictness, especially from a father.

To read the article go Here

'Health Warning' a positive move for body image

The news this morning reported that French politicians want to stamp a 'health warning' on photographs of models that are altered as part of a campaign against eating disorders.

French parliamentarian Valerie Boyer, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party, and some 50 other politicians have proposed the law to fight what they see as a warped image of women's bodies in the media.

"These images can make people believe in a reality that often does not exist," Ms Boyer said in a statement, adding that the law should apply to press photographs, political campaigns, art photography and images on packaging as well as advertisements.

Under the proposed law, all enhanced photos would be accompanied by a line saying: "Photograph retouched to modify the physical appearance of a person."

Luxury brands and fashion magazines have also been accused of digitally enhancing models so that they appear thinner, with white teeth, lengthened legs and fewer wrinkles.

Ms Boyer says being confronted with unrealistic standards of female beauty could lead to various kinds of psychological problems, in particular eating disorders.

During the research phase for my book Why Can't I Look the Way I Want; Overcoming Eating Issues coupled with years of devoted work to helping those suffering from eating disorders, I know firsthand that low self esteem and feelings of worthlessness can potentially be exacerbated by unrealistic images of thinness - and this can perpetuate a cycle of self destruction which can lead to the onset of an eating disorder.

I wholeheartedly agree with the proposed 'health warning' and hope this paves the way for other countries to follow suit.

To read the news article go Here

Recognising Disordered Eating in Children

In a recent media interview, I was asked whether it is my personal belief that negative body image in teenagers is perpetuated by images portrayed in the media. I believe that young people are susceptible to triggers if they are suffering low self esteem, and a common trigger is images of extreme thinness.

The average child in the UK, US and Australia sees between 20,000 and 40,000 television advertisements per year. They are bombarded with images about how they should look and what they should own. Children struggle to keep up, suffering from anxiety, stress and lower satisfaction in themselves. 1

Societal pressure is taking its toll on our young people. More than two thirds of 15 year old girls are on a diet and a quarter of children diagnosed with anorexia nervosa are boys.

Now more than ever, it is important that parents become aware of the early warning signs so they can gauge if their child is developing an eating disorder.

Jessica Burde, who writes for Helium, has this advice:

1. Eating with your child several times a week will allow you to get a feel for their eating habits. Watch for changes in those habits; a one night change shouldn't worry you, but a severe change that lasts for several weeks is a concern.

2. Watch for sudden weight change i.e. a noticeable change in weight within a short period of time.

3. Listen for 'fat' talk. When your child stops celebrating weight loss, and is not happy no matter how many kilos they've lost, it is a red flag.

4. Watch for bones. Some young people are good at hiding their eating habits so if you start seeing your child's collar bones and wrist bones sticking out, take them to a doctor.

5. Obsessive Eating; an inability to stop eating, especially in times of stress. Some clues to watch for:

a) Are they enjoying food? An obsessive eater generally doesn't enjoy what she or he eats, they just eat. Be worried if your child is eating large amounts of food constantly, but doesn't realise how much they are eating, and/or isn't enjoying it.

b) Watch for cravings - obsessive eaters have them all the time. They go around with food constantly in their hand, and can get irrationally upset if they can't find something to quiet the craving. These cravings will typically worsen when under stress.

In my book Why Can't I Look the Way I Want; Overcoming Eating Issues, there is a chapter dedicated to early warning signs. These signs are often subtle and can be passed off as 'normal' behaviour - unless you know what to look for. Some common ones are avoiding eating with others, obsession with food preparation and a change in attitude towards food e.g. becoming vegan or cutting out entire food groups under the guise of wanting to be 'healthy'.

Another lesser known warning sign is ritualistic behaviour when eating, such as cutting food into tiny pieces, insisting that meals are eaten at a particular time each day or obsessive use of the same crockery and cutlery.

Whilst images in the media can heighten our children's anxiety when it comes to self image and body image, if we become vigilant about the early warning signs and therefore understand what constitutes disordered eating, we have a very real chance of catching the behaviour early and reducing the alarming incidence of eating disorders.

1 Williams, Z 2006, The Commercialisation of Children, Compass, London

Body Image A Huge Concern for Teens

A survey of almost 2,000 Australian teens has revealed that the vast majority have anxiety over their own body image and the unhealthy images being promoted, with only 27% of Australian teens claiming they are happy when they look in the mirror. A significant 33% of teens have had an eating disorder, or have known someone with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.

Habbo released the findings yesterday as part of an online survey of 1,957 Australians aged 12 to 18 (Generation Z). An even number of males and females participated in the survey, with respondents from each state and territory.

The following channels were voted as responsible for promoting unhealthy body images:

1. Media – 43%
2. Models – 27%
3. Friends – 7%
4. Schools – 6%
5. Parents – 5%
6. Body builders - 5%

Australian teens (32%) believe that using healthy sized models and ambassadors across all media is the best way to increase awareness about healthy body image. 31% suggested further education in schools, followed by television programs promoting a healthy outlook (13%).

Ngaire Stevens, Business Development Manager, Sulake & Habbo, explains “The results from the Habbo Body Image Survey suggest that teens in Generation Z are wary of the pressures around them to have a certain type of body image ... the concerning thing is that they are still dieting, are not happy with their own body images and feel pressure to adhere to what’s being promoted in the media and other channels of influence. Generation Z is an extremely aware generation and they are calling for healthier body images to be promoted ... the initiatives currently in place are clearly not having a significant enough impact. We would like to see action taken by the media industry, health departments and the Federal Government to address body image issues for Australian teenagers.”

Last night I took part in an online forum for Reach Out discussing body image and it is clear there is still much that needs to be done to make young people aware of the dangers of dieting and the serious consequences of eating disorders. We also need to educate young people about the best ways to help and support someone they love.

With that in mind, this survey clearly establishes the need for the media industry in particular to actively promote health and wellbeing in direct relation to positive body image to protect and foster the body confidence and self esteem of this next generation of Australian teens.

For details of the survey go Here

Celebrate Body Image & Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Today marks the start of National Body Image & Eating Disorders Awareness Week, an annual event held in the first week of September. This morning I was in Martin Place, Sydney, supporting the Butterfly Foundation in raising awareness of positive body image and eating disorders. There is so much that needs to be done to let people know how devastating these illnesses are - and how widespread they are becoming.

Just over two thirds of teen girls are on a diet1. Anorexia is the third most chronic illness for adolescent girls in Australia (after obesity and asthma) 2. The incidence of binge eating disorder in males and females is almost equal3. With statistics such as these, it is so important that we do as much as possible to raise awareness of the dangers of dieting.

In my book Why Can't I Look the Way I Want, I highlight what to do if someone you love is suffering from an eating disorder. Sometimes it's not easy to know what to say - or exactly how to say it. Comments such as "you look great in that", "you're looking so much better", "you haven't put on that much weight" make the person feel as though they look fat. Similarly, if you know someone who is struggling with anorexia, don't 'reassure' them that they are thin. You cannot win by placing value - positive or negative - on someone's weight.

Helpful comments are ones which praise the person for traits not associated with physicality, and let them know you love them. For example "we're here even if we don't understand", "you seem so much happier", "aren't you clever, figuring that out". Unconditional love from family and friends is also important. A hug, kiss or a rub on the arm will show the person that you care.

My personal belief is that you can never give too much love. People with eating disorders despise themselves and need to know you love them no matter what. Although nothing you say is going to be right, if you can be there and love the person for who they are no matter what they do, this will give them evidence against everything the eating disorder is telling them. The more you prove the eating disorder wrong, the more likely they are to question what it tells them, which will help them fight it.

There are many events and opportunities happening throughout Australia to mark National Body Image & Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Visit The Butterfly Foundation for more information.

1 Patton, G.C., Selzer, R., Coffey, C.,Carlin J.B. and Wolfe, R. (1999), 'Onset of adolescent eating disorders: population based cohort study over 3 years', British Medical Journal, vol. 318, pp. 765-8

2 Hsu, L.K.G. (1996), Epidemiology of the eating disorders', Psychiatric Clinics of North America, vol. 19, 99. 681-700

3 Paxton, S. (1998) 'Do men get eating disorders?', Everybody - Newsletter of Body Image and Health Inc., vol. 2, August.

Recession fuels 'Manorexia'

Sky News UK reports that financial fears and the recession are contributing to the rise of anorexia in males.

Professor Hubert Lacey, who runs the eating disorder unit at St George's Hospital in London, has seen the number of male referrals double in the past few years.

"These are just my observations and because the numbers are so small, statistics can be misleading but I think there has been a cultural change," he said."The recession is a factor because when jobs are under threat, people think more about how they present themselves."

In my book Why Can't I Look the Way I Want, I have dedicated a chapter to males and eating disorders, because of the alarming statistics: one in ten young adults and one in four children diagnosed with anorexia are male1 . As Prof Lacey points out, this figure could be even higher given that traditionally males are less likely to seek help because the common belief is that anorexia and bulimia are female conditions, which threatens their masculinity.

Equally disturbing is the emerging trend in guys who believe they do not have big enough muscles and as a result, develop an obsession with lifting weights in their quest to attain a muscular physique. This is referred to as muscle dysmorphia, or bigorexia, and drives guys to exercise obsessively every day because they experience feelings of acute shame about their bodies. It is estimated that 17% of males are on some form of diet and that steroid abuse and exercise disorders are increasing in the young male population2. This shows how drastically males are suffering from low self esteem and body image issues.

The onset of an eating disorder in males is usually due to a specific trigger or set of triggers, such as childhood bullying, emotional abuse, difficulties dealing with being gay and parental strictness especially from a father.

One of the males interviewed by Sky News, Aaron aged 31, says "My job contributed to a sense of purposelessness in life. Losing weight was a way of regaining the sense of self worth, improvement and achievement."

Rob aged 15, says "...in my case, the sense of rampant, desperate competition and definition of self worth through attainment... served to push me farther down a path to self destruction. "

Mitchell Doyle was bullied and developed anorexia as a teenager, and his remarkable story of recovery is profiled in Why Can't I Look the Way I Want. He says "the voice in your head is strong, but you are stronger. The eating disorder will divide you as a person, but the best feeling is being able to wake up and be happy with who you are. My last word to you is to keep holding on, even when dignity fails. Aim high, aim to win, aim to live.

Words that I hope, with a greater awareness of bigorexia and manorexia, males will choose to live by.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Manorexia-Recession-Leading-To-More-Men-Becoming-Anorexic-Say-Doctors/Article/200908315365730?lpos=UK_News_First_Home_Page_Feature_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15365730_Manorexia:_Recession_Leading_To_More_Men_Becoming_Anorexic,_Say_Doctors

1 Paxton, S. (1998) 'Do men get eating disorders?', Everybody - Newsletter of Body Image and Health Inc., Vol 2, August, p.41

2 Weekend Australian, April 1999

Self-Love the Key to Positive Body Image

It is my personal belief that a positive body image is the result of how you feel about yourself on the inside; that fostering self-love creates inner peace and happiness, and the need to conform to societal and peer pressures diminishes. A negative body image can be a result of self loathing; the need to please others; feelings of hopelessness. But how much of it also has to do with society's focus on external and physical perfection?

Media influence is ever-present. Thin, flawless people are continually showcased to the point where the common belief begins to reflect this ideal as 'normal'. Young people are constantly exposed to these images in the media however, parents can aid their child's interpretation of these images and educate them about positive body image. Parents can also increase their child's sense of self worth by focusing on other qualities unrelated to size or appearance.

It is a known fact that dieting is one of the leading indicators of a future eating disorder. And the age of dieting onset is getting younger. According to the Children's Hopsital at Westmead, children as young as 5 are being diagnosed with early onset eating disorder.

With this in mind, and as someone who suffered anorexia as a teenager, I am very aware of the messages I send to my almost 5 year old son about food and body image. I praise my son in areas unrelated to physicality, such as his ability to draw or write his name. I also involve him in cooking where possible. He loves to stir scrambled eggs, even if they do slop over the side! I also make sure we eat together so our mealtimes become about enjoying food and each other's company. Most importantly, my son knows he is loved. I believe the need to feel love and approval from parent/s is at the core of every child's inner being.

There is much we can do to foster self-love in our children. But it starts with ourselves first and foremost. Our children look to us as role models so we need to lead by example.

http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/body-image-and-eating-disorders

'Mirrors' Artwork Submissions Invited

Mirrors Art Exhibition is an annual event founded by fashion entrepreneur Rhiannon Bulley. It aims to raise awareness of eating disorders through the display of abstract and contemporary pieces, and is currently seeking submissions.

"The aim is to show that the reflection of a mirror is not always one of clarity," says Ms Bulley.

The idea is that a mirror can be blurred or altered by outside motives and the objective is to provide clarity that beauty is not an image but a feeling.

The theme 'Mirrors' is an open embodiment of hope; hope that one day people will comprehend the challenge and complexity of overcoming an eating disorder and the feeling of futility that envelopes the sufferer and their loved ones. Above all it is the hope that through expression, individuals can be prevented from developing or continuing to live with negative body image and low self esteem that often fuels these life threatening illnesses.

Profits from the sale of art will go towards supporting the Butterfly Foundation, an organisation that helps families and individuals whose lives are adversely affected by eating disorders.

Mirrors Art Exhibition will be open from 14-26 October at Mori Gallery, Darling Harbour. For further information click on the link and then 'Artwork Submissions':

http://mirrorsartexhibition.wordpress.com

Anorexia's Lifelong Legacy

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald, written by Thea O'Connor, highlights the fact that eating disorders, particularly among boys, are difficult to diagnose and treat.

All too often, a child can display the signs of an eating disorder, however, not be taken seriously until the situation becomes life-threatening.

Significant gaps in community awareness and the health-care system, coupled with a generic diagnostic tool, means many cases are not diagnosed until the illness has taken hold - with disastrous consequences.

A study published in the Medical Journal Of Australia this year found that boys suffering an eating disorder were more likely than girls to remain undiagnosed until they experienced potentially life-threatening medical complications.

Dr Sloane Madden, child psychiatrist at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, says "Doctors are not expecting to see boys with eating disorders, so they are picked up later." Dr Madden is quoted extensively in my recently published book Why Can't I Look the Way I Want; Overcoming Eating Issues, and highlights that serious complications can be prevented if the illness is picked up early. "If children get the right treatment early, 70 to 80 per cent get well in 12 months and 90 per cent are better in five years. This is much better than in adults where the recovery rate at five years is less than 50 per cent," says Madden, an advocate of The Maudsley Model of family-oriented treatment.

Why Can't I Look the Way I Want; Overcoming Eating Issues provides a detailed account of The Maudsley Model, the current treatment of choice for children. It involves the family working together over a year to overcome the anorexia their child is experiencing.

Despite appearances, eating disorders are not about food. "If you look behind the dieting behaviour, you'll find high levels of stress and anxiety," Dr Michael Kohn, a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital at Westmead, says. "I suspect that the increased stress levels I'm seeing in young children are making them more vulnerable to picking up on dieting strategies and media messages about weight and appearance."

To read the article go here:

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/anorexias-lifelong-legacy-20090617-chy6.html?page=-1

Males Falling Prey to Eating Disorders Increasing

One in ten young adults and approximately 25 percent of children diagnosed with anorexia nervosa are male (1).

This figure could be even higher given that traditionally guys are less likely to seek help, especially because the common belief is that anorexia and bulimia are female conditions.

Dr John Morgan, a consultant psychiatrist and director of the Yorkshire Centre for Eating Disorders in Leeds, has confirmed this fact. He told the Annual Meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Liverpool that growing numbers of young men are increasingly dissatisfied with their bodies and that the number of young heterosexual men falling prey to anorexia and bulimia is increasing. In addition, the gap in the numbers of gay and straight men with eating disorders is closing. Males are also more likely to be misdiagnosed with depression or schizophrenia, and less likely to be given treatment.

Dr Morgan said: "By the time they go for treatment, the disorder is much further down the line ... it's not just their reluctance - it's the system putting up barriers."

Images of skeletal models or men with 'six-packs', as well as a multitude of choices now open to men, is at the root of body dissatisfaction, Dr Morgan said.

"To be a young man is our society is a difficult thing. What you do and who you are is less straightforward. Women were challenged decades ago to consider which of the many different social roles they adopted. Now men are having to respond to the choices that society gives them."

In my recently published book, 'Why Can't I Look the Way I Want; Overcoming Eating Issues' there is an entire chapter dedicated to males and eating disorders because of the alarming increase in not only anorexia and bulimia amongst males, but bigorexia and muscle dysmorphia. 17 per cent of males are on some form of diet and steriod abuse and exercise disorders are increasing in the young male population (2).

This illustrates how drastically guys too are suffering from low self esteem and body image issues.

I've expressed in previous posts, the need to increase the awareness of the dangers of dieting as well as strategies to triumph over these devastating illnesses. Now more than ever we need to help our young adults realise that a positive body image starts on the inside - how they perceive themselves amidst parental, societal and peer pressure - and encourage them to honour their individuality and uniqueness. We need to let them know that they are loved and importantly, that they are enough.

To read the article, go here:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153277.php

(1) Paxton, S. (1998) 'Do men get eating disorders?', Everybody - Newsletter of Body Image and Health Inc., vol. 2, August, p.41
(2) Weekend Australian, April 1999

"Why Can't I Look the Way I Want" Officially Launched

Yesterday I celebrated the launch of my third book 'Why Can't I Look the Way I Want; Overcoming Eating Issues'. The book was launched by Jacinta Tynan at Sydney Girls High, and a panel of speakers included Tara Moss, Rachael Oakes-Ash and Chris Gibson who each provided insights related to their own experiences with body image. It was a wonderful and inspirational event.

My hope is that the book will bring healing to those suffering, and help those who love someone, by providing a degree of crystal ball, in terms of what to do about where you are at with your eating issue, how recovery is possible, and how to create a wonderful and fulfilling life that is true to your heart, beyond recovery.

For more information:

http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=94&book=9781741757545

Anorexic Male Says 'Men Need More Help'

Nineteen-year-old Chris Hardy said controlling what he ate had given him a sense of achievement.

"A lot of stuff happened at 11 or 12 that was quite traumatic. My parents divorced, I moved school, moved house. And then you also start to become more aware of body image at that age anyway."

When he started medicine at university, his food intake dropped dramatically."I would count out the exact number of pieces of cereal to eat to have each morning, have a cracker lunchtime, and then maybe a few bits of pasta in the evening ... even that seemed too much and I would work on reducing it the next day. That was how I got a sense of achievement."

When he could no longer concentrate in lectures, Chris sought help and was treated for seven months at a specialist hospital.

According to national support charity B-eat, more than 11,000 male patients are receiving treatment nationally. But this may represent only a small proportion of those who have the condition and are keeping it hidden.

'Men Get Eating Disorders Too' is a new website for men who are affected by anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive eating and bigorexia. The site is designed to provide male sufferers with essential information and advice on eating disorders including warning signs, treatment options and support services.

Website founder Sam Thomas wrote on his Facebook "I'm currently trying to end the stigma associated with male eating disorders through my web and publicity campaign 'Men Get Eating Disorders Too.' Too often eating disorders are assumed to be female only conditions, however this is NOT the case. Recent statistics released by the NHS Info Centre say that a quarter of diagnosed cases of eds are men (approx 700,000 men) - no doubt there are many more cases that are undiagnosed."

Men speaking out about their eating disorders is a huge leap forward in cutting through the stigma associated with males and eating issues. Hopefully this will encourage more males to come forward and seek help.

For more information:

http://www.mengetedstoo.co.uk/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/8045237.stm

Children with Eating Disorders: as young as 5 years old

Today I read a newspaper article about children as young as 5 who are suffering from an eating disorder to the extent that hospital intervention is required.

These new findings are clearly disturbing.

According to Dr Sloane Madden from The Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney, there is currently a 50% increase in the demand for beds amongst adolescents with eating disorders - and the condition is now increasingly prevalent amongst girls and boys aged 10-12 and even younger.

Dr Madden, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing for my third book 'Why Can't I Look the Way I Want; Overcoming Eating Issues', which will be published by Allen & Unwin in June, fears that the number of cases is expected to rise, unless there is a shift in the media's obsession with fat and weight.

"I think that there needs to be a move away from this focus on weight and numbers and body fat, and a focus on healthy eating and exercise,'' Dr Madden says.

And I vehemently agree. These illnesses are hurting our children - in some cases, killing them. The media needs to take responsibility and start promoting healthy body image instead of sensationalising the number on the scale. As a parent, I take exception to the fact that emaciated models are portrayed as 'healthy'. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It's time to nurture our children and build their self esteem, instead of encouraging self criticism to the extent that it encourages self destructive behaviour resulting in hospitalisation, and debilitating conditions that could lead to death.

This is tragic beyond comprehension.

To read the article, go here:

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25354792-5001028,00.html

Website Launched for Males with Eating Disorders

Hot on the heels of my last blog about male anorexia on the increase, a new website offering help, advice and support for men and boys with eating disorders has been launched.

It's Founder, 23 year old Sam Thomas, endured years of bullying at school and developed bulimia. He set up the site after realising the lack of resources available to males who suffer from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder and bigorexia.

The website is designed to ease feelings of secrecy and isolation amongst male sufferers and offers support through discussion forums, fact sheets, inspirational articles and personal stories. It also offers information on what to look for if you think you or someone you know has an eating disorder, and highlights organisations and support groups.

This is a monumental leap forward in raising the awareness of male eating disorders, and helping our boys and young men feel less alone and know that it's okay to ask for help.

http://www.mengetedstoo.co.uk/

Male Anorexia on the Increase

I recently read disturbing figures that have been released by the Butterfly Foundation in Australia: almost one in three male year 9 students used fasting, skipping meals, diet pills, vomiting after meals, laxatives and smoking cigarettes to keep off weight.

Among adults, one in 10 diagnoses of anorexia is for men, while binge eating disorders have risen among males by up to 5 per cent in the past decade.

Anorexia in males is similar to that in females; restricting food intake and excessive exercise are the two main components. However with boys, there is more emphasis on the exercise factor.

In addition, a new and emerging trend is Bigorexia, or 'Reverse Anorexia', whereby the male becomes obsessed with the idea that they are not muscular enough, and spend countless hours at the gym in an attempt to gain more muscle mass. This constant preoccupation can interfere with school, career and relationships, and in extreme cases, lead to permanent muscle damage.

The onset of an eating disorder in males is usually due to a specific trigger, or set of triggers, including bullying, difficulty dealing with being gay, emotional or sexual abuse and low self esteem brought on by such incidents.

There is a need to increase the awareness of male eating disorders, to reduce the shame inflicted by societal pressure and expectation. We need to encourage young men to reach out for help if they are struggling.

Now more than ever, we need to help young people learn to become psychologically and emotionally resilient to the images portrayed through internet, chat rooms, social networks and the media. We need to help our younger generations preserve their self esteem and believe in who they are.

I am hopeful that the guidelines currently being developed by the national media and industry code of conduct on body image (to be announced in August), will be a solid step towards reducing the incidence of eating disorders.