Are catwalk models too skinny?

There's a lot of debate whether models are too thin.
In the fashion industry there is a lot of importance put on models' appearance and size, causing many to became anorexic or bulimic.
I think industry should use a variety of healthy sized models. This would be much better in showing people, especially young people, normal sizes and body shapes.

What is anorexia?

Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric illness. It's an eating disorder which characterized by extremely low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of putting on weight. Sufferers are known to control their body weight through starvation, excessive exercise, or other measures such as diet pills or diuretic drugs.
Anorexia is a condition which mainly affects adolescent females, but approximately 10% of people diagnosed are male.

What is bulimia?

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder which is characterized by by binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors, most commonly, defensive vomiting, use of laxative, enemas and diuretics and over exercising.

So what weight is the right weight?



This chart is the ideal weight for adults. It will vary for younger people as they haven't finished growing.

What weight is too low?

Body mass index less than 17.5 in adults or 85% of expected weight in children.

How can you spot an eating disorder?

Research has shown the earlier an eating disorder is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat.

Signs of anorexia:

• Most sufferers are young women and teenage girls, but men can also be affected.
• cut out all sweets and snack foods, eliminate fat and meat from their diet, and begin cutting their food into small bits
• eat in private or refuse to join the family for meals
• obsessively count calories
• check their weight on the scale repeatedly
• frequently claim to be "fat"
• exercise obsessively
• become depressed or irritable
• lose a lot of weight quickly
• stop menstruating

Signs of bulimia:

• secretly take large quantities of food from the pantry or refrigerator
• spend a long time in the bathroom after meals, with the water running (to cover up the sounds of vomiting)
• buy laxatives often
• develop problems with their teeth and gums due to frequent contact with stomach acids
• go through bouts of intense exercise
• become depressed or irritable
• maintain normal weight

How can I get help?
(From: http://www.b-eat.co.uk/HelpandSupport/ContactourHelplines)

Beat Contact details for Helplines

08456 341414
help@b-eat.co.uk
Monday to Friday 10:30am - 8:30pm
Saturdays 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Sunday ~ Closed
Bank Holidays 11:30am - 2:30pm

Samaritans 0845 790 9090 and Childline 0800 1111 offer 24 hour support

For information about the online services run by our youth team such as 1-2-1 and livechat support, please see the FYP pages.
Youthline

08456 347650
TXT: 07786 20 18 20

fyp@b-eat.co.uk
Online 1-2-1
Monday to Friday 4:30pm - 8:30pm
Saturdays 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Sunday ~ Closed
Bank Holidays 11:30am - 2:30pm

beat endeavors to respond to all e-mails within 7 days.

What is the Helpline?

The adult helpline is for people over 18 in the United Kingdom who wish to talk about eating disorders and to obtain information about help available in their locality. About a third of the calls are from people with an eating disorder, a third from friends and relatives and the rest a mixture of professionals and students.

The purpose of the helpline is to provide a confidential service including:

• a listening ear
• non-judgmental response
• information about eating disorders
• information about help available
• information about beat

The helpline does not:

• make medical diagnoses
• offer counselling
• make referrals
• tell people what to do
• encourage emotional dependence on the line

What is the Youthline?

The Youthline is part of beat’s Youth Service which offers help and support to young people affected by eating disorders. It has several facets:

• dealing with young people who call the telephone helpline for information, help and advice
• responding to letters and e-mails from young people
• researching and writing literature specifically designed for young people

How can we help?

From the eating disorder charity, beat's website:

All helpline staff have completed a comprehensive training programme and are there to listen. They will offer information about treatment and other sources of help available, encouraging callers to make their own decisions about a way forward. They will also be able to give information about beat resources, books, leaflets etc., and can post out a basic information pack.

beat helpline staff are not medically trained and will always suggest that a medical practitioner is also consulted. Help is always available from your GP. You could also contact the Practice Nurse or your Health Visitor for help and advice about eating disorders.

How can you help?

Click here for more information about becoming a volunteer on the adult helpline.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is fundamental to the services beat provides. However, there are some circumstances where it may be necessary to break confidentiality. These are if there is a danger to the caller or others in their care (i.e. Child Protection issues).

It is very rare for us to consider or indeed decide to break a service user's confidentiality.

If we do have to break Confidentiality:

• You will be informed
• The reasons why the decision has been made will be explained
• The possible repercussions of breaking confidentiality will be explained.

beat Contact information
beat Helpline

0845 634 1414
help@b-eat.co.uk

beat Youthline
0845 634 7650

fyp@b-eat.co.uk

For more information visit beat's website: http://www.b-eat.co.uk/Home