Article published today 9/11/09, on The Sun Website


By GRAEME WILSON
Deputy Political Editor

Published: Today

GIRLS bombarded with airbrushed photos of skinny models and pop stars are getting depressed about their own looks at age FIVE, a shock study claims today.

The warning - in a report by leading doctors, psychologists and academics - sparked fresh calls for a ban on the "size zero" cult in ads.

One outraged MP last night declared that advertising watchdogs "now have all the scientific evidence" they need to crack down on stick-thin women being used to plug clothes and cosmetics.

The study by 44 experts worldwide comes just weeks after uproar over an airbrushed photo for Ralph Lauren of curvy model Filippa Hamilton - with her waist so tiny it made her head look huge.

The beauty, 23 - a size eight who claimed she was sacked as TOO FAT - fumed: "Young women will look at this and think it's normal, and it's not."

Today's report confirms a "clear majority" of girls exposed to such ads by teen magazines suffer "increased body dissatisfaction, dieting and bulimic symptoms".

Horrifyingly the experts found much younger girls were also affected - and warned tiny-waisted BARBIE set tots on the slippery slope.

Their report says: "Girls aged 5½ to 7½ reported less body esteem and greater desire for a thinner body after exposure to images or thin dolls (Barbie)."

The medics - who also warn BOYS are being driven to take steroids by images of musclebound idols - back a Lib Dem campaign to ban airbrushed snaps in magazines for under-16s.

Digitally manipulated photos in other ads would have to carry a warning that they have been retouched.

Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson said the size zero backlash had sparked almost 1,000 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority this year.

She blasted: "Airbrushing means women and young girls are being bombarded with images of people with perfect skin, perfect hair and perfect figures which are impossible to live up to."


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2719770/Faked-model-photo-danger-for-girls-aged-5.html#ixzz0WMfxjg5d

Big Big media hype at the moment over comments that have been made by celebrities like Kate Moss and Lady Gaga about eating habits, and how they feel about the skinny fad that effects young children.

Kate Moss: "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"


This will be good information for our documentary as we are to investigate skinny people in the media as this seems to be the catalyst for a lot of eating disorders in young girls.


Lady Gaga being the outspoken celebrity who tells it how it is commented on her latest weight loss, going from a size 12 to a size 6 in a year, she said "It's all about starvation! Pop stars don't eat."

A huge amount of criticism was landed on her for this comment, no one knew if she was telling the truth or doing it for media attention, either way this comment was not greeted kindly.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/20/kate-moss-motto-pro-anorexic

Fad diets 'make you gain weight'

“Fad diets make you fat,” according to the Daily Express, which said that many quick fixes for obesity are “doomed to end in failure”.

Fad food diets:

  • Fruitarian diets based on the belief that fruit was man’s original diet in the Garden of Eden.
  • The Hollywood Grapefruit Diet, which is based on the claim that grapefruit contains an enzyme that can burn body fat.
  • Consuming apple or cider vinegar before a meal to counteract alkaline substances in the diet.
  • The Atkins Diet, which is based on the idea that diets that are low in carbohydrates may have a nutritional advantage because they encourage the body to burn more calories. As an interesting aside, Professor Hawkey notes that, at its peak, about 9% of all Americans followed the Atkins diet until the death of its founder, which was thought be linked to his diet.
  • The Max Gerson Diet, which included rectally administered hydrogen peroxide and daily consumption of an extract of raw calf liver. He claimed his diet could cure cancer and other chronic illnesses.
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/11November/Pages/diets-lose-weight-health-problems.aspx


 

We have been reading 'My Life as a male anorexic' by Micheal Krasnow, to try and find out how exactly eating disorders affect males, so when we interview our men we can relate to what they are telling us.

 

"My Life as a Male Anorexic is a uniquely male point of view of anorexia nervosa. It is the autobiographical account of a young man's ongoing struggle with anorexia.

Michael Krasnow has had anorexia since 1984, and he chronicles his daily struggles, feelings, and experiences in this book. He writes in a relaxed, easygoing manner that makes the book appealing to all readers. While ignoring statistics and not pretending to be an expert on the disorder, Michael simply tells readers what his life is like and how anorexia has affected - even controlled - it. As of today, Michael has maintained his weight at 75 pounds on a 5-foot, 9-inch frame.

Anyone who suffers from, or anyone who knows someone who suffers from, anorexia will learn that male anorexia is a serious problem and that there needs to be psychogical and medical help for the boys and men who struggle with anorexia.

Michael's story will baffle, frustrate, and sadden readers, whether they are interested in the human side of Michael's story, whether they are workers in the medical field or whether they are teachers, co-workers, friends, or relatives of a male with anorexia. My Life as a Male Anorexic begins to shed light on the little-known or discussed problem of male anorexia nervosa."

 

 

Researching child anorexia!

Very few young children develop eating disorders, but even by the end of primary school children are beginning to become interested in the opposite sex, aware of fashion, trends and personal appearance and to drift into puberty when they find their bodies changing very rapidly and without their consent.

At this time many girls begin to become curvy and develop breasts, as well as retain a little more weight, which can be a danger period if they are determined that they must remain at a certain weight or size of clothing. Family and friends can help prevent eating disorders at these ages by:

  • Insisting upon a varied, healthy diet for everyone.
  • Encouraging appropriate amounts of exercise for health and fun.
  • Barring dieting for children.
  • Engaging in regular discussions about school, life, dreams, etc with all children.
  • Listening to children’s thoughts on weight and body image.
  • Helping children retain realistic expectations about healthy weight and image.
  • Praising children’s talents and skills.
  • Reminding children regularly that they are loved and valued.

Signs:

Many children are able to hide the signs and symptoms of eating disorders for months or even years, which can put their health at great risk. There are many behaviours that can signal an eating disorder, however, such as:

  • Significant weight loss or gain.
  • Continuous dieting or discussions of dieting.
  • Fear of weight gain.
  • Persistent preoccupation with food/eating/weight.
  • Persistent preoccupation with fashion, clothes sizes and/or personal appearance.
  • Eating while alone or in secret.
  • Hidden food or laxatives/diuretics.
  • “Grazing” or eating all day or for as long as food is on offer.
  • Vomiting – or regularly retiring to the toilet – after meals.
  • Frequently running the taps while in the toilet (to cover evidence of vomiting).
  • Swollen cheeks and/or bad breath (from vomiting).
  • Excessive exercising to burn calories.
 
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