How to Spot An Eating Disorder

By: Krystle Merchant

There is so much pressure on girls and women today to fit into our society’s
ridiculous standard of beauty. Every female is measured against the Halle
Berrys and Charlize Therons of the world. Among other things, we are
expected to have a model-thin body, though this is practically out of reach
for a majority of women. Three out of every five females is on a diet at any
given moment, and the other two will be at least once in their lives!

One of the main reasons that we obsess about
dieting and being thin continues is because we talk
about weight and food all of the time. Think about
a normal day in your school and the conversations
you have with other girls at lunch or during P.E.
Consider what you say about your friends’ outfits
and what you say about others. How often do you
mention food or weight? Do you talk about losing
weight or not fitting into your skinniest skinny
jeans?

This kind of “fat talk,” conversations centered around appearance, eating,
and self-image, may be at the root of some types of disordered eating. The
way that we talk about ourselves as females is influenced by peers, family
members, and the media. Yeah, of course we talk about our favorite
actresses and the new outfit we want to buy this weekend, but there is
something more. Fat talk can be a bonding experience in a group where
everyone will probably join in, listing their body issues and problem areas.
Even if there is one part of your body that you LOVE, you can not bring it
up during these sessions because there is no room for positive body image!
There is more to eating disorders than just fat talk, but our words can
become the trigger for the problem.

The two most common eating disorders among young females are anorexia
nervosa and bulimia nervosa. They should only be diagnosed by a medical
professional, but there are warning signs for each. Anorexia nervosa is
characterized by a distorted body image that leads to restrictive eating
patterns and dangerously low body weight. Girls may check their weight
constantly, obsess over dieting and the nutritional value of foods, and
frequently call themselves fat. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by binge
eating followed by feelings of guilt and purging. It is sometimes harder to
spot than anorexia nervosa because there is usually no dramatic weight
loss. Also, those with bulimia nervosa eat large quantities of food in secret
or away from others and follow up these binges with purging.

What can you do if you think one of your friends
may have a problem with eating? There is no way
for us girls who are not professionals in health and
nutrition to identify an eating disorder in others.
As a friend, all you can do is show them you care.
Anna Lutz, Student Health Dietitian at Duke
University, says the most important thing you
can do is show your concern. If you think your
friend is pulling away from you, avoiding social
situations, or spending more time alone, do not jump to conclusions! Just
let them know that you care about them and that you are worried. Because
disordered eating is usually a defense mechanism for something deeper,
your friend may not feel comfortable admitting it and may even go on the
defensive, pushing you away even further.

Lutz advises that you tell them that you will bring it up again later because
you are still worried and that you care about them. As with anything else, if
you become severely concerned that they will hurt themselves or others,
tell an adult. Otherwise, realize that it is not your responsibility to diagnose
an eating disorder in anyone. But it is your responsibility to be a caring
friend.

Rosalie Yan, a Duke student who wrote about and speaks on her experiences
with an eating disorder, thinks it is important to just listen. You should not
give advice or interrupt with your own thoughts, just offer to be an open
ear. She also notes that, “The truth is that life with an eating disorder is not
glamorous, despite its association with Hollywood’s starlets.” It is a long and
hard road and if you know someone (or think you know someone) who is
dealing with it, just try to be there for them without encouraging or
condemning their actions. Anna Lutz hopes that one day female leaders
(and that means you Athena readers!) will comment more on the strength
and beauty of their bodies and what they can do instead of worrying about
how much they eat or what they look like. Maybe the first step is to stop all
the fat talk.