Anorexia is an awful eating disorder as an adult so I cannot imagine what it is like for a five years old. Yesterday’s Independent reported that children as young as five were receiving treatment for Anorexia and the figures showed some alarming trends in young children today, especially girls. Image conscious celebrities, internal messages in magazines and peer pressure on children were blamed for the disorder. I can see these reasons could be influential for an teenager or an adult, but I have difficulty relating them to a five years old? Therefore, I am led to wonder how much of the disorder in children so young is caused by the environment in which they are growing up?
Last week, I heard a disturbing story on the radio of a child who started dieting at the age of 7 because her grandmother would put her on the scales, weigh her and tell her she needed to lose weight to be pretty. Her mother described her as a slightly plump child but not fat. Regardless, the result was an eating disorder for which this 10 years old girl is now receiving both medical and psychological treatment. Her mother said she thought she was providing her daughter with the best childcare by allowing a grandparent to look after her. As soon as she found out what was happening, she found alternative childcare.
Whilst this is only one story, I wonder how many stories like this are out there where it isn’t magazine, stars, or advertising that are causing eating disorders but actually family members and friends who are part of our daily lives. I would be horrified if my children started dieting at such a young age and even more so if this was suggested by someone in my family or a friend. I would hope they would raise it with me and not with my child. We need to tackle obesity in children but not in this way.
Bunty
