It’s that time of year again. January 2015; New Years, the new me and “celebrities” seem determined to make money off dietary supplements and “tummy DVDs,” but are they fueling teenage eating disorders?
As social media allows fans to get closer and closer to their idols, it is almost impossible to escape media presence and body image. The new teen idols are the stars of reality shows like Geordie Shore and Made in Chelsea and the use of social networks allows girls (and boys) to follow all aspects of their lives; from your wardrobe to your eating habits. A constant daily reminder on social media that another TOWIE star has dropped 2 dress sizes and is happier than ever through a new diet technique, or images of the dietary supplements “Vicky Pattison” is replacing with their food. Looking at the profiles of these girls who are ‘retweeting’ celebrity diet secrets or thanking these celebrities for the dietary supplements they ordered, it is apparent that many of these girls are under the age of 18.
During adolescence, your body is undergoing many changes during puberty, and while you are in this important transition period, it is imperative to take in the right nutrients to thrive. Eating disorders can result in underweight at this important stage in your life and can lead to a lack of energy, nutritional deficiencies, a weakened immune system, delayed periods, and damage to future fertility.
Having suffered from anorexia / bulimia nervosa in the past, I know what a difference the media can make to a girl’s eating habits. I suffered mainly around the age of 13, I used to go through periods of starvation before bingeing and vomiting. Exercising a lot also kept my weight down, but I also used this as an excuse for my slim appearance. My eating disorder was fueled by the constant images I began to see of the perfect bikini body on the cover of magazines combined with my lack of self-esteem. Fortunately, I managed to fight the condition myself in about a year and it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I realized that I had even suffered from an eating disorder. Now at age 20, considered “normal weight” at 59 kg. I’m trying to get toned and lose some weight, but this time eating my 5 a day, replacing snacks with lower calorie options, and exercising more regularly.
Watching celebrities lose massive amounts of weight in just months, I can’t help but wonder if this promotes extreme and often short-term solutions to weight loss. A troubling idea considering the teens who avidly follow these stars. Instead, promoting a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise are critical. The principles of healthy eating must be respected; particularly eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, the importance of breakfast and basing meals on starchy carbohydrates. In addition to this, joining a team sport can help teens lead an active and healthy lifestyle, as well as increase social interaction and develop personal skills.
Since the age at which girls, in particular, begin to worry about the appearance of their bodies, decreases rapidly each year, it is important that we, as a society, teach from an early age that the importance of body image is not understood. It tries to look good on the outside, but to feel good. inside, both physically and mentally.
