Dying to be Thin: Eating Disorders in our Society

Part of the problem in the United States is all the proccessed foods, fast foods, hormone feed animals, pesticides sprayed on vegetables and fruits, everything is ready to go. Then magazines show skinny models who strave themselves to stay that way and send a fasle illusion.

I think that the issue is greater than alot of us think. I dont we realize what many are thinking about their bodies. Our young girls are always wanting to be the popular cheer leader type with the whole body and it is messing up their minds. I know that with any eating disorder that there are so many health problems that go along with eating too much or too little. This is very sad.

pretty fit girls in TV make those in home dream about having such slim body or men who saw such beauty on TV will saw them as ugly fat women!!

Yes..I have to admit that alot of people at younger,and younger ages are becoming to be anorexic,or bulemic..Which I understand why...I know what it is like...I have been down that path,and I am still trying to find my way back,and one of the top reasons for doing that is because of family problems,they see shows about it,and they see alot of people who they think are skinnier than they are,and they might be criticized as being fat,and the list could go on and on,but that are some of the reasons why I did it,and I am still having trouble stoping...It becomes very addicting once you start..

I'm concerned about the backlash against being in shape. I see many people saying "Being skinny is unhealthy" as an excuse to stay overweight. There's a difference between being too skinny and being in shape.

I always get some skinny beanpoles trying to pinch what little skin they've got around the tummy area & telling me they are fat or telling me they've got a little tummy & they have to lose it. It's absolutely disgusting!

gud point...

I've talked to my mom about this and she thinks that it has gotten worse (from when she was growing up). I've even noticed it getting worse and I'm only 21. I guess a lot of it has to do with what they are watching on tv or reading in magazines. I was watching an episode of Canada's next top model, and the judges were going on about how this one girl (probably a size 5 or 6) was way too big to become a model...pretty sillly!

I couldn't agree with you more. It's hard to encourage a girl to be herself and LOVE herself no matter what she looks like. Encouraging good eating habits isn't easy either. Giving them a reason to feel good about themselves can come from other things and not just their physical appearance. Good post!!

My daughter had a friend who came from a family of heavy people. In high school, she decided to drastically diet and developed anorexia. She spent her senior year in and out of hospitals and having shock treatments. Her entire personality changed. She was no longer vivaceous and ambitious. Her dreams of college went out the window. I've lost touch, so I don't know if she ever really recovered. The last I knew she was still living at home with her parents several years after graduation. Good luck to you in your endeavors to stop this crisis that's destroying so many young women.

I actually look at the faces of some of these superthin people and they look neither pretty nor healthy. Those "coathanger" shoulders are disgusting, you know when you can see the collar bone poking right up through the skin. people, particularly you ng girls, need to know that they can be beautiful and healthy without being painfully thin. They need to be taught how to keep a healthy diet and lifestyle and incorporate it into their life instead of seeing all these thin people everywhere and trying to be like them.

Good for you. I know that my son has several female friends that go days without eating and have even passed out because of it.

i think thoes who r obese, and its not because of eating too much because i know that many r obese but its genetic, or they have problem with inside their body not because they eat!! these must seek a doctor to fix the problem, because nomatter how much they exercise or ate healthy or not eat, they will not be able to lose weight because its not in their hand.. but those who r slightly overweight, must look after wat they r eating, because once u get above avarage, u wont be able to lose it.. moderation is the best thing,, dont look at the weight, look at wat u r confortable with!

More boys/men are coming down with eating disorders, as they face pressure to look thin and buff. Not as many as women, of course, but it's becoming a problem.

I'm concerned about this as well. I have a 6 year old daughter and she is already concerned about what she looks like and if she's fat. I don't know where she gets this from because I don't allow the word "fat" or "diet" in my house. I tell my daughter that she is beautiful everyday and point out other features in people that are beautiful as well. It's a shame that our society has given our young daughters an "image" of what beautiful is supposed to look like. That's why I'm glad that Dove started thier own campaign on what beauty is really about. Here is the website: http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/ Please visit this website and let me know what all you parents think.

Here is a website I found with some great information regarding eating disorders: www.eatingdisordersonline.com

I agree. It dosent matter what paper or magazine you pick up to read, or what box office film you watch, everyone is slim! Even in your local shopping catalogue the models are skin n bone! You are 100% correct. Out with the bones and in with healthier natural looking people!

I agree, I have a 10 year old daughter and I hate for her to even watch t.v. because it seems every girl on there has to be skinny. My daughter and her friends say they are going on a diet all the time and to me a 10 year old should not be worried about being on a diet. I worry it will cause her more problems in the future.

I know, it is so ridiculous! I can`t even talk about it anymore.