First Workshop on Telemedicine on Obesity, Overweight and Eating Disorders, Valencia, Spain

Are you interested in learning more about the use of technology-enhanced approaches in obesity and eating disorder treatment?  The First Workshop on Telemedicine on Obesity, Overweight and Eating Disorders will take place from 30 January to 4 February 2012 in Valencia, Spain.  In addition to the presentation of highlighted uses of technology-enhanced approaches for treatment in clinical psychology and medicine, new results and proposals will also be reported.  For further information on this event, please visit here.

Help for eating disorder sufferers

Source: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

A NEW day service for people suffering from eating disorders has been established in Sheffield.
The service, based at St George’s Community Health Centre on Winter Street, will help up to 10 patients at a time, who will attend three days a week.
The aim is for the new service to offer a more “intensive” level of care than the existing outpatient service, where people receive treatment for only a few hours a week.
...Continue reading here.
*************************************************
If you are currently in treatment for an eating disorder, what tools/resources have been an effective part of your recovery journey?

Secret is get them while they're young

Good eating habits from an early age can help prevent eating disorders, writes Rachel Browne.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au

TEACHING children to have a healthy relationship with food from a young age can reduce the likelihood of them developing an eating disorder.
This means teaching them that food is fuel for the body, rather than a reward or punishment, says Christine Morgan, chief executive of the eating disorders support group, The Butterfly Foundation.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/secret-is-get-them-while-theyre-young-20111203-1ocdy.html#ixzz1feMwUT3R

*******************************************************

What are ways to help encourage children to have a positive relationship with food and their bodies?  How will this help in the prevention of eating disorders?

Experts Gather to Combat Rise in Eating Disorders Among Teens

Deborah Hirsch, Jewish Exponent Staff
Source: http://www.jewishexponent.com

In college, Shari Botwin was always dieting. Sometimes, the Cherry Hill, N.J., psychologist recalled, she would exercise three to four hours a day.

People would compliment her on how good she looked, she said, but eventually she couldn't deny that she had a problem. At 5', 5" tall and 112 pounds, she weighed just barely enough "to keep myself out of a hospital."

Today, Botwin, 41, uses her struggle to overcome anorexia as a tool to help others recognize and combat the illness.
...Continue reading here.
**************************************************
What do you think is most effective is raising awareness about eating disorders?

Life after an eating disorder

By Anna Moore
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

 

Can anorexics, bulimics and binge-eaters ever fully recover, or are they doomed always to obsess about what's on their plates?

Hope McKay can vividly recall the lowest point of her life with an eating disorder, though she tries not to picture it too often.

'I was sitting in Asda car park, having just eaten as much cheap food as I could get in the basket – doughnuts, biscuits, packets of ham, milkshakes – and I was planning what to do next to kill the time. I remembered a restaurant down the road – and went down there for lunch.'
...Continue reading here.
*************************************************
If you have been in recovery from an eating disorder, what are some of the fears and challenges you may have faced throughout your journey?  What encourages you to continue to pursue recovery?

Israel Association for Eating Disorders

February 4-5, 2013: Israel Association for Eating Disorders to present - Treatment Modalities for Eating Disorders: Consensus and Controversy. Jerusalem, Israel. . International Conference to be To be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem. Abstract submission deadline is August 31, 2012. For further information, contact Rachel Bachner-Melman at msrbach@mscc.huji.ac.il.

Epidemic of eating disorders put on menu of British Govt inquiry

By Matt Chorley
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz



Diet firms are exploiting young people's insecurity to sell quick-fix weight-loss plans that do not work, it was claimed yesterday.

Half of girls and a third of boys, with an average age of 14, have dieted to change their body shape. More than one in 10 would take pills to alter their appearance, according to Central YMCA research.

An influential all-party group of MPs will begin a landmark inquiry this week into body image in Britain, including the problems of anorexia, obesity and self-harm.

They will grill diet companies, psychologists, advertisers and ministers on how to tackle the problem.
Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem MP who will chair the inquiry, claimed conflicting messages prompt people to resort to extreme methods in often misguided attempts to match computer-enhanced images. Experts blame a society fixated on appearance, with airbrushing, celebrities and the fashion industry all in the line of fire.

Swinson said: "In the past 15 years, eating disorders have more than doubled.

There is a view that we should tell people they should be really thin because we are getting an obesity problem. But starving ourselves is not a healthy way to lose weight."
...Continue reading here.
***************************************************
In your opinion, what role does the diet industry play in the development of eating disorders?  How can the epidemic of eating disorders be best addressed?

Managing stress during the holidays

Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression. 

 By Mayo Clinic staff

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

The holiday season often brings unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it's no wonder. The holidays present a dizzying array of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, to name just a few.
But with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.

Tips to prevent holiday stress and depression

When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past.

1. Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
2. Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and broaden your friendships.
3. Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures, emails or videos.
4. Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all of your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.
5. Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives: Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.

...Continue reading tips here.
*************************************************************
The holidays can bring an enormous amount of stress and anxiety to someone who is struggling with a mental health issue.  What are your suggestions or tips for managing stress during the holiday season?

Diet Firms Come Under Fire as Youngsters Battle with Eating Disorders

Source: http://www.youngacademic.co.uk

This week came reports of yet more complaints against the model industry.  With the rise in eating disorders and the worry of poor body image amongst youngsters, MPs are investigating diet firms and cosmetic surgeons for their part.  Young Academic reports on what looks like the youth mirroring the image and style of models and celebrities.

There has been much controversy over the corruption of the modelling world in recent years with certain initiatives such All Walks Beyond the Catwalk looking for diversity in the industry.  The latest companies to come under fire are those in the slimming pills and diet industry who supply the general public with aids to slim down.

Boots, Weightwatchers and Transform Cosmetic Surgery are amongst the companies to be questioned and each has agreed to give evidence in the inquiry.

This week the all-party parliamentary group launched the investigation in an attempt to find solutions to the growing culture of body conscious teens.  It has come to light that the number of children admitted to hospital for anorexia and bulimia has in fact doubled and research has recently shown that a shockingly high figure of one in eight girls are actually taking laxatives to lose weight.

Chairwoman of the committee, Jo Swinson has commented saying “we know there’s a problem, with young people feeling under enormous pressure about the way they look. We need to take a step back and find out who or what is responsible, and what positive and practical steps can be taken to promote better body confidence for all.”

With the diet firms and cosmetic surgeons being investigated, attention has also turned to the model industry and the affect that skinny models is having on young peoples’ body image.

Skinny silhouettes reign in the world of modelling and as a result the general public is bombarded with images of the female body but there is little diversity.  The bodies of models walking down the runway are ridiculously skinny with fragile frames.  Could it be that the unattainable body forms which are paraded down the catwalks, featuring in all the magazines and taking over the world of celebrities are in fact the reason for this rising culture of anorexia and bulimia in youngsters?
...Continue reading here.
*************************************************
What are your thoughts on the media's effect on body image? Would regulation of the model industry be effective in the promotion of healthier body image?

Gut Check

Ted Merwin

Special To The Jewish Week 

Source: http://www.thejewishweek.com

 

The stomach, scientists say, is a “second brain,” a nervous system where learning, memory and emotion all take place. Liat Ron’s loosely autobiographical one-woman play, “Guts,” is the tale of a self-described “Israeli-American superwoman” named Hellthy who finds the intestinal fortitude to overcome an eating disorder, relationship problems and an excessive need for parental nurturance. An unusual mix of belly dance, multimedia and comedic narrative, “Guts” is currently running in the East Village in a production directed by Shoshona Currier.

One-woman shows about eating disorders have proliferated in recent years, including Amy Fortoul’s “This IS my BODY” and Cathy Plourde’s “The Thin Line.” But “Guts” may be the first play to take a Jewish perspective on eating disorders, even as many segments of the Jewish community, including the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox, have seen a precipitous rise in these diseases. As psychologist Judith Ruskay Rabinor has written, the centrality of food in Jewish tradition often leads to emotional issues being interlaced with both dieting and overeating.

Ron, who was born in Israel to an Iraqi-Jewish mother and Russian-Jewish father, moved to New York at the age of 16. After studying theater at the Circle in the Square Theatre School, she starred in a number of downtown productions, including Israeli playwright Nissim Aloni’s “The Bride and the Butterfly Hunter” and Paolo Tartamella’s “The Busboy,” which was staged in an Italian restaurant. But after a wrenching break-up in 2007, she decided to move back to her parents’ house in Tel Aviv. Nine months later, she found herself attracted once again to New York, and she has lived here ever since.
...Continue reading here.
********************************************************
What are your thoughts about the idea that the importance of food in Jewish tradition leading to emotional issues that may be related to eating disorder behaviors?

It starts with calling names, but can end in despair and suicide

Study says nine in 10 children have either been bullied or witnessed others being abused in school

Jonathan Owen, Anna Rabin  Source: http://www.independent.co.uk

 

Hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren face psychological trauma from bullying, according to new research released tomorrow. What begins as relatively harmless name-calling can escalate to physical abuse and drive people to eating disorders and even suicide, campaigners warn.

The research, released to mark the start of Anti-Bullying Week, reveals that nine out of 10 children aged 11 to 16 have been verbally bullied or witnessed it happening to others in the past year. The vast majority (79 per cent) of victims report it taking place at school. One in eight of the young adults surveyed considered missing school to avoid being verbally abused. Missing school is no longer an escape for some victims who report that verbal abuse follows them into their homes through cyber-bullying.

Just over a quarter (26 per cent) of the 875 young people aged 11 to 16 surveyed in England for the Anti-Bullying Alliance, part of the charity the National Children's Bureau, reported direct verbal abuse; two-thirds (66 per cent) report seeing others bullied.
...Continue reading here.
*************************************************************
How can bullying play a part in the development of eating disorders?  What are symptoms in children that parents should be aware of?

Norway considers a warning label for super skinny models

By Maura Judkis
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com

Skinny models that promote an unrealistic standard of beauty could soon come with warning labels in Norway if the country adopts a new action plan to curb eating disorders by discouraging deceptive advertising.
 
Could Vogue come with warning labels? (Mario Testino - AP)

Audun Lysbakken, the country’s equality minister, has proposed labeling photos of digitally-altered images of thin models with a warning that says, “This advertisement has been altered and presents an inaccurate image of how this model really looks.” England and France have also proposed measures to curtail unrealistic images of bodies, but no such measure has been considered in the U.S. yet.

Photoshopped images of models are often blamed for the prevalence of eating disorders around the world. Sometimes, the retouching is subtle — as in a 2007 image of Faith Hill for Redbook in which the singer’s arms were slimmed, crow’s feet removed, and clavicle smoothed — or sometimes it’s more overt, as in the famous Ralph Lauren Photoshop blunder that made a model’s head bigger than her waist.

Women’s blogs such as Jezebel have worked to unveil the pre-touch-up photos of models so their readers can see for themselves exactly how altered the average photo shoot can be. The Photoshopped images affect men too, giving them unrealistic expectations of how women should look.
...Continue reading here.
*********************************************************
What do you think about the possibility of labeling photos of digitally-altered images with a warning?  How could this effect the way that women and men view themselves and their bodies?

Warning on childhood anorexia

Sarah Dingle reported this story on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Source: http://www.abc.net.au

TONY EASTLEY: It's fair to say I think that Australians have never before been so informed, lectured or badgered about their weight.

One latest diet is replaced almost immediately by another and specific television shows make it their mission to have people lose weight.

But could it be that those sort of television programmes are creating a counter-epidemic of underweight children?

That's a concern raised by a leading Sydney specialist, who says children as young as eight are being hospitalised with Anorexia Nervosa.

The number of children admitted for eating disorders has trebled over the last decade.

Westmead Hospital's Dr Sloane Madden told Sarah Dingle parents need to be careful not to over-hype the dangers of childhood obesity.

SLOANE MADDEN: The children we're admitting, they're almost exclusively anorexia nervosa. So these are children who've lost large amounts of weight, often very quickly. And the children who we're having to admit are those with really life threatening complications of their malnutrition.

These children are potentially at risk of dying, so when they come to us they've got very low heart rates, they're unable to maintain a normal blood pressure or temperature - so really struggling just to manage basic vital functions.

We've seen children in general anywhere between about eight to 15, with the average age of our admissions being between 12 and 13 years of age.
...Continue reading here.
**********************************************************
What are warning signs to be aware of in children that may suggest they are struggling with an eating disorder?

Leanne Waters: How love saved me from bulimia

By Ciara Dwyer
Monday Nov 7 2011 
Source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

The first thing that strikes you about Leanne Waters is her vibrancy. It's in her beautiful brown eyes, her warm smile, her mane of brown hair, her glowing skin and in her laughter too.
She appears as a woman who is happy in her own skin. And she is, now. But it wasn't always so.
Time was when she was very troubled and it showed. There were dark shadows beneath her eyes, her skin was flaky and her hair used to fall out in clumps. These were the results of her self-destructive behaviour.

For many years Leanne's life was blighted by bulimia, the eating disorder where a person binge eats and then forces themselves to vomit the food back up. She has written a memoir about her time as a bulimic -- My Secret Life.

Finally she is out the other side. When I met her on a wet, blustery afternoon in her home town of Bray, Co Wicklow, she was like sunshine on a rainy day. As I listened to her tale, it struck me that the 21-year-old sounded so calm and strong. She has examined her life, in therapy sessions and in solitude, and now she is the healthy end result of all that self-analysis. It's been a long journey to get to where she is today, with much misery and tears along the way. There was a time when the illness took over and she became a different person, one she didn't like.

Deception goes hand in hand with an eating disorder and Leanne became so secretive and furtive that she pushed her family and close friends away. But their love and concern for her was so strong that they insisted she confront her problem and get help.
...Continue reading here.
*********************************************************
If you are in recovery from an eating disorder, what might you be able to share from your journey that may be an encouragement to others who are currently struggling?

Children with eating disorders on the rise

Source: http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk

More than 40 children, some as young as six and seven, have been referred for treatment for eating disorders over the last two years.

Across Bedford and Luton there were a total of 23 children aged between six and 15 passed to the South Essex Partnership Trust (SEPT) for eating disorders.

The figures revealed after Bedfordshire on Sunday submitted a Freedom of Information request showing that the youngest were a six-year-old boy and a seven-yearold girl and the oldest were four 14- year-olds and five 15-year-olds.

But SEPT says the numbers are low compared to the national average.
...Continue reading here.
*******************************************************
With statistics revealing the startling young age that children are developing eating disorders, what are ways to encourage healthy eating behaviors in children that might help prevent these behaviors?

Support for food issues

Published on Thursday 27 October 2011
Source: http://www.iomtoday.co.im

A NEW support group to help people with eating disorders and their families, friends or carers is being established in the Isle of Man.

The new group, the island’s first such organisation, is called the Manx Eating Disorders Support Group and has been publicised with a poster campaign around the island.

The idea has spent months at the planning and preparation stage after organisers realised there was a demand for such a group on the island.

The plan is to expand the group into two in the future, depending on demand and number of volunteers available to help.

The group will be affiliated with B-EAT (Beating Eating Disorders), which is a UK charity that provides helplines, a network of UK-wide self-help groups and online support to help adults and young people beat their eating disorders.

The Isle of Man support group will be part of this UK-wide self-help network and all the group organisers will be fully trained by B-EAT.
...Continue reading here.
**************************************************************
What is the importance of having a support group while in recovery from an eating disorder?

Camilla: Glossy magazines and my fear for girls who crash diet to look like models

By Rebecca English
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Young women who go on drastic diets to copy celebrities face a ‘ticking timebomb’ by putting themselves at risk of osteoporosis, the Duchess of Cornwall has warned.

In particular, she highlighted the need for women’s magazines to be more responsible about their use of thin models and the way in which they encourage girls to perceive themselves as overweight.

In yesterday’s Mail, Camilla described her anguish at losing her beloved mother, the Honourable Rosalind Shand, to the cruel fragile-bone disease.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2053521/Camilla-Parker-Bowles-warns-girls-crash-diets-result-osteoporosis.html#ixzz1brm7cCDa

**********************************************************

What are some of the serious health implications associated with eating disorders that may not be as well-known?  If you have a loved one suffering with an eating disorder, how might you gently encourage them to seek the appropriate help they need?

The True Freedom of Eating Disorder Recovery (Part II)

Posted by Rebecca Cooper
Source: http://www.jewishjournal.com

Early recovery is difficult. When we stopped the eating disorder, feelings start to surface. Many times you do not even know what the feeling is. So one of the first new skills in recovery is to be able to identify your feelings. You cannot take care of yourself if you don’t even know what you are feeling. What makes this even more difficult is that the feelings you have been suppressing with the eating disorder now start to surface.

The next new coping skills you need in early recovery is how to deal with the stress and anxiety of everyday living. You need to be comfortable around other people and implement new ways of taking care of yourself. It can be hard not having your usual coping mechanism and feeling so raw. You need to be able to identify your stressors and deal with them in a healthy manner.

One of the most important new skill is in eating disorder recovery is learning to identify your negative self-talk. Again, some people are not even aware of the messages they are telling themselves. This can be one reason why you are using the eating disorder to just stop that negativity going on in your head. If the negative self-talk is not addressed to it can lead you back into the eating disorder.
...Continue reading here.
******************************************************
What are new coping skills that you have learned to use while in recovery?

Eating disorders: more than a food problem

The mental illness of ED can push its victims to new extremes

Tabitha McCarl — Interrobang (Fanshawe College)

Source: http://cupwire.ca

LONDON, ON (CUP) — It’s 5:30 a.m.; I can’t get back to sleep. My body aches all over, even though I take as much Tylenol as I am safely allowed (if not twice as much, most days) just to get by. I tiptoe down the stairs to my basement, trying not to wake my still-sleeping family, and start my two- to three-hour run on my treadmill. I know that I should stop, especially since I’ll be going for an hour (or longer) swim at the YMCA that evening, after I've completed my four-hour shift at work and my schoolwork. I have decided to treat myself and eat half a carton of strawberries for dinner. That is all that I will eat today besides water and the orange that my parents will monitor me eating after my morning shower. I will cry three times for various reasons, or no reason at all.

My parents’ eyes are full of worry every time I look into them, sometimes brimming with tears after our daily argument over what I eat.

This is what almost every single day of my life looked like three years ago. No, I wasn’t trying to fit into a special dress. I was anorexic. I devoted almost a year-and-a-half of my life to making the number on my bathroom scale go down. After a few months of this mission, the devotion was no longer my choice.
...Continue reading here.
********************************************************
What are some of the misconceptions of those who struggle with an eating disorder?  What obstacles make it most difficult to seek treatment?

The UK has its first ever ‘Fat Talk Free week’

By Nick Watts
Source: http://www.mentalhealthy.co.uk

Fat talk free week has officially come to the UK for the first time, thanks to UK charity The Succeed Foundation. The weeklong event has been running successfully in the United States for the past 3 years, run by one of the USA’s largest sorority’s Tri Delta. It will be running in the UK from the 16^th to the 22^nd of October 2011.

In a society where we are frequently bombarded with comments about appearance and weight, even positive ones, it makes us think all too much about our image. We all have bits we like more than others about us, but we have become a society of people that concentrate on the negative aspects of our image, as opposed to celebrating the positive. Body Image is an important topic, with problems such as low self-esteem, depression and anxiety becoming all too common as peoples dissatisfaction with their appearance reaches an all-time high.
...Continue reading here.
*******************************************
Establishing a positive body image is essential in the prevention of eating disorders.  What are ways that you can begin to encourage self-esteem and positive body image within yourself today?

Nirvana Through Food?

Elyse Glickman, Jewish Exponent Feature
Source: http://www.jewishexponent.com

With Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in the rear-view mirror, many Jewish women still find themselves atoning on a daily basis, especially about what they look like and what food sins they may have committed to get there.

Knowing in her heart there was a better road to inner peace, author Ellen Frankel proposes that if we see our physical selves through a more enlightened perspective, real internal bliss will be easier to come by.

 The message comes via her spunky, middle-aged Jewish alter-ego character, Syd Arthur, in her just-published first novel, named after the character.

"One of the main things I learned about myself and other women struggling in their relationship with food was the question of whether or not they are entitled to pleasure," muses Frankel, who has worked in the field of eating-disorders treatment for 15 years.
...Continue reading here.
**********************************************
Do you ever experience feelings of guilt for satisfying your needs of hunger?  How can society/media contribute to these feelings?

Dieting: A weighty issue

By Sarah Lang Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz

Sarah Lang was 16 when she first dieted. At 18 she was anorexic, then a few years later she was overweight. Body image was her all-consuming obsession for nearly a decade. Here, she recounts her journey of disordered eating — and how she finally found her way out.

I see her every lunchtime, wind, rain or shine. As I'm walking into town along the Wellington waterfront, she comes running towards me. She looks about 20. Her cheeks are hollow and there is desperation in her eyes. Her tiny shorts hang off her bony thighs. Her shoulder blades protrude like an angel's wings. It's a skinniness that's not natural, not even for the thinnest model.
..Continue reading here.
***************************************************************
Every recovery story is as unique as it is valuable.  What can you share from your recovery journey that may encourage others who are experiencing a similar situation?

Body image pushing girls to attempt suicide

by Haneen Dajani
Source: http://www.thenational.ae

ABU DHABI // Teenagers increasingly are experiencing suicidal thoughts because of poor body image, a result of greater exposure to international media, experts said yesterday.

During a conference held in the capital and attended by members of the health, education and police sectors, officials agreed that eating disorders, learning disabilities and study pressure are the main factors behind suicidal intentions for young people.

At the same time, depression and stressful professions remain high factors for society in general.

Solving these issues is complicated by a shortage of psychologists and a lack of insurance coverage for psychiatric treatment.
...Continue reading here.
************************************************************
If you are a teenager who is struggling with an eating disorder, know that you are not alone and that there is hope for recovery.  What are some of the greatest obstacles that might be preventing you from getting help?

Dieting NZ women, girls 'losing chance of children'

By Talia Shadwell
Source:www.nzherald.co.nz

Kiwi women and girls are dieting their way out of a chance to have children, says a leading fertility specialist.

Dr Stella Milsom says young women should slow down, eat more and exercise moderately - or pay "too great a price".

The Auckland Fertility Associates endocrinologist said she was sick of reading stories trumpeting the weight loss of the same celebrities who visited her clinic for treatment.
...Continue reading here.
***********************************************************
The health implications of having an eating disorder can be devastating.  If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, what are motivating factors that might encourage you to seek treatment?

ONLINE CAMPAIGN TO TACKLE EATING DISORDERS

by Mark Nolan
Source: www.theleader.info

The Spanish government have announced a campaign to combat support for eating disorders on social network and micro-blogging sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

It is thought that by shutting down links to resources that promote unhealthy lifestyles will mean a reduction in the number of cases.

An estimated one in five Spanish women, under the age of 22, are thought to suffer from some kind of eating disorder. 
...Continue reading here.
*************************************************************
What are things that would be influential in providing support for those who are suffering from eating disorders?

Know What's Creating Young Picky Eaters? Pressure to Eat

By Maureen Salamon, MyHealthNewsDaily Contributor
Source: www.myhealthnewsdaily.com
You can lead a child to broccoli, but you can't make him eat it, the old saying goes. Oh, it doesn't? In any case, a new study suggests this is the reality for parents — those who pressure their kids to chow down produce youngsters who are more likely to be picky eaters.

The answers given by 104 mothers of children ages 3 through 6 in the United Kingdom to questions about their kids' behaviors showed that urging them to eat significantly raised the chances the kids would dig in their heels and refuse.

The study also found that food avoidance was more common in children of certain emotional temperaments, as well as those of parents who use food to shape behavior and don't encourage a varied, balanced diet.
....Continue reading here.

****************************************************************
Prevention of eating disorders can begin in childhood.  What are ways that parents can begin instilling healthy eating behaviors in their young children?

Guest Blogger posting by Marie Campion @ Marino Therapy Centre

When I heard that Joanna was to have her book published, I knew it would be great, but having read Healing Your Hungry Heart(HHH)  I would need to say – the book is absolutely brilliant.

This book is very educational, providing the reader with a great understanding and many very useful tools for recovery. It is written in such a wonderful language, making it easy for the reader to understand. I have read so many books weighed down with jargon and impossible complicated sentences that I cast them, aside and never finished reading them. This book  reminds the reader of the spirit of the person.

I feel it can offer wonderful guidance for the sufferer, their families, and ED Practitioners. This book is teaching us to be open to all experiences that life has to offer.

HHH brings so needed  understanding of this complex illness. It explores issues, which were not yet studied enough and talk about  - like the chapter on sexuality issues. Reading this book helps you to understand that ED is not just a “young girls illness”. This myth, which keeps so many people suffering in isolation.

Many of my clients found  inspiration and hope and abundance, after reading HHH.

Joanna’s experiences described in HHH helps me on a personal and professional level as well. It has also encouraged me in my quest for knowledge, understanding of human nature, and the absolute importance of compassion.

HHH is a great tool in one’s recovery.

Thank you Joanna for sharing with us your experiences.

Marie Campion, author of “Hope” 

________________________________

Marie Soskova-Campion
Marino Therapy Centre
42 Malahide Road
Clontarf
Dublin 3
Tel: +353 1 8333126
www.marinotherapycentre.com
ICEBERG www.eatingdisorderselfhelp.com 

New research project to support young people suffering from eating disorders

By Nick Watts
Source: mentalhealthy.co.uk

Support for young people with eating disorders

Eating disorders are serious and complex conditions, affecting people of any age and gender, with the condition Anorexia Nervosa carrying the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
I recently wrote for Mental Healthy articles about the rise of eating disorders in men and the rise of young people being admitted to hospital for eating disorders and yet despite these alarming figures there is still a distinct lack of research in the area of men and the experiences of young people.
...Continue reading article here.
***************************************************************
If you or someone you know is in recovery from an eating disorder, what is something you can share from your experience that might be an encouragement to others who are going through similar situations?

Fundraising Officer Needed for the Suceed Foundation

Source for article: jobs.thirdsector.co.uk

Further information

Background

The Succeed Foundation is a new UK charity focusing on eating disorders and body image issues. We are currently a small growing team based in Central London and are looking forward to the development and expansion of our work both in the UK and internationally. The foundation currently has an opening for a Fundraising Officer to play a pivotal role in developing and implementing our fundraising strategy, focusing on Corporate and Major Donor fundraising. Your role will be to secure vital income for the charity from major donations from high net worth individuals and corporate partners or sponsors working to achieve the annual targets of the charity as well as the target set for each individual programme or project run by the charity. You will produce and update income forecasts assessing timing and probability of success as well as level of interest and support.
...Continue reading here.
**************************************************************
What can you do to contribute to the prevention and promotion of eating disorder awareness today?

Deadly disorder education comes to Bunbury

Source for article: www.bunburymail.com.au

TWO Bunbury girls will speak out about their experience with a potentially lethal eating disorder at an awareness forum this Thursday.

The local St John of God Hospital will kick off the state’s Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week by hosting the forum at Edith Cowen University.
...Continue reading here.
******************************************************
What is one way that YOU can promote positive body image today?

Don't dumb girls down

by Lisa Bloom
Source: www.smh.com.au

I went to a dinner party at a friend's home last weekend, and met her five-year-old daughter for the first time. Little Maya was all curly brown hair and doe-like dark eyes, and adorable in her shiny pink nightgown. I wanted to squeal, "Maya, you're so cute! Look at you! Turn around and model that pretty ruffled gown, you gorgeous thing!" But I didn't. I squelched myself. I always bite my tongue when I meet little girls, restraining myself from my first impulse, which is to tell them how darn cute/pretty/beautiful/well-dressed/well-manicured/well-coiffed they are.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/dont-dumb-girls-down-20110829-1jh86.html#ixzz1WRKtTszA

**************************************************************

How can something as simple as changing the way we address young girls, and thus influencing their perspective on what is truly valuable, be consequential in the prevention of eating disorders?

Anorexics lack sense of belonging, study finds

Source for article: News.com.au

RECOVERING from anorexia nervosa is so difficult for many sufferers because the eating disorder satisfies an intense need to belong, an Australian researcher says. Social anthropologist Megan Warin believes many anorexics might not seek treatment because they find the disorder incredibly seductive.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/anorexics-lack-sense-of-belonging/story-e6frfku0-1226121438873#ixzz1W9mujysm

********************************************************************

Seeking recovery from an eating disorder can be extremely difficult because of the highly addictive nature of the disease.  If you have a loved one suffering from an eating disorder, what are ways to encourage them to find a sense of belonging in something more positive than this deadly disease?

Eating disorders model established in London

By DEBORA VAN BRENK, The London Free Press
Source: lfpress.com

A treatment program for adults with eating disorders - the first of its kind in Ontario - is to be based in London.
Its operating cost is $2.4 million and it will treat as many as 100 people a year in both a residential centre and as out-patients.
"What we need to do is establish continuity of care . . . across all phases of the illness" and with people of all ages, Health Minister Deb Matthews said Tuesday.
....Continue reading article here.

************************************************************************
Asking for help and seeking treatment is often one of the most difficult steps in beginning recovery from an eating disorder.  Is you know someone who is struggling with an eating disorder, what are ways you can support them to make this step possible?

What Men Can Do to Support Women With Eating Disorders

by Roy S. Gutterman, Jewish Exponent Feature 
Jewishexponent.com

For a guy who is astute or caring enough to notice that a woman's behavior might be signs of anorexia, bulimia or another eating disorder, it may only be the tip of the iceberg.
This recognition might be lifesaving, but a solution with treatment and therapy will not occur overnight, according to Lauren Strobeck, program coordinator of the Eating Disorders Program at the Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment in Philadelphia.
People in the midst of a serious eating disorder do not think clearly, she said.

 ...Continue reading article here.

***********************************************************************************
Observing a loved one struggling with an eating disorder can be particularly troublesome and overwhelming.  What are practical ways to demonstrate love and support to a family member who may be in recovery? 

Dance -- Hidden Language of the Soul

NORMAL is a nonprofit organization that educates about the therapeutic impact of the arts in the learning and healing processes.  For the five years we have been educating in schools with award-winning arts programs, we have seen the positive impact the arts have in both the educational and medical environments.  In a May 2011 report issued by The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) entitled, Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America's Future Through Creative Schools, reveal that "the process of making art -- whether it is written performed, sculpted, photographed, filmed, danced, or painted -- prepares children for success in the workforce not simply as artists, but all professions."*

This series educates about the array of expressive arts that are useful in the healing process -- specifically -- from eating disorders and other addictions.  The focus of this article is dance/movement therapy (DMT).

According to the American Dance Therapy Association, dance/movement therapy is: The psychotherapeutic use of movement to further the emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration of the individual. ADTA promotes the use of dance and movement as powerful tools for mental and emotional health.

As a collaborator on David Alvarado's documentary about expressive arts therapies in the treatment of eating disorders, I met Susan Kleinman -- a featured Dance and Movement Therapist (DMT) in the film.

Art Therapy Doc Demo from David Anthony Alvarado on Vimeo.  Copyright 2011 David Alvarado.  All rights reserved.

Finish reading at : http://blog.normallearning.org/2011/08/22/dance----the-hidden-language-of-the-soul.aspx

''Imagine Me Beyond What You See'' Body Image Mannequin Art Exhibit

Friday, August 26
FREE!

Mannequin Art Exhibit Takes Eating Disorders on the Road. The newly formed DFW Chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals Foundation's (iaedp) will host the first leg of the "Imagine Me Beyond What You See" road tour exhibit. Exhibit will be on display on August 26, at La Hacienda Treatment Center, located at 1320 Greenway Drive #135 in Irving, Texas from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The mannequin art exhibit is open to the public for a one-day viewing only. The traveling exhibit coincides with the opening of iaedp's newly formed chapter in Dallas. The exhibit represents the work from the Annual Body Image Mannequin Art Competition held in conjunction with the iaedp's Annual Symposium, encouraging treatment centers and private facilities with art therapists, as well as students and the general public, to work with patients to design mannequins in a way that reflects their perception of beauty. The mannequin art competition was established to promote healthy awareness and acceptance of body images.

About iaedp: Since 1985, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation has provided education and training standards to an international and multidisciplinary group of various healthcare treatment providers and helping professions.

Info posted at:  Art and Seek - Arts, Music, Culture for North Texas

'Skinny ideal' worries Swedish 7-year-olds

Source for article: http://www.thelocal.se/

A new Swedish study shows that one in five 7-year-old girls want to lose weight but that it generally takes a year or two before they actively try to do something about it. 
....Read more 

*************************************************

The "skinny ideal" is prevalent in media everywhere today.  What are ways that society can begin to stand up against this ideal and promote a healthier body image standard?

Eat and feel guilty?

Source for article: greaterdandenongweekly.com

How often do you feel guilty after eating a chocolate bar? Do you feel guilty even thinking about it?  A new RMIT University study is looking at the impact emotions such as guilt and remorse can have on the way people view their body image and how this can affect eating habits.
...Continue reading article
****************************************************
Do you or someone you know associate particular feelings or emotions with specific foods? What can be the danger in this?

Ten per cent of Croatian girls with eating disorders are younger than 11

Published by the Croatian Times

Ten per cent of girls suffering from bulimia or anorexia in Croatia are younger than 11, shows the data of Association Hope (Udruga Nada) that works with those affected by these eating disorders.  Association’s secretary Hrvoje Rendulic says that these numbers are on the rise.
...Finish reading article

**********************************************************
The epidemic proportions of eating disorders is expanding throughout the world.  What is one think you can do to spread awareness of eating disorders?

Eating disorders hurt primary kids

By Sarah Harvey

Primary-school pupils are being hospitalised with eating disorders as younger and younger children are worrying about their body image.  Ministry of Health statistics show 10, 11 and 12-year-olds were among those admitted to hospital for eating disorders in the past four years.  The shocking revelation comes as a report in respected UK newspaper The Guardian said one in three hospital admissions for eating disorders in the UK and Ireland involved a child.
...Finish reading article
***********************************************************
With studies revealing how children are struggling with body-image issues at such a young age, what are indicators to be aware of?  What are preventative approaches that can be taken?

New media can turn children into ... JPost - Opinion - Columnists

New media can turn children into ... JPost - Opinion - Columnists
Out of 33 countries, Israel ranks second in the rate of girls who diet. At the same time, the obesity rate is 17% among Israeli girls and 20% among boys, according to the latest statistics. “Most lack any guidance,” said Adatto.

Why are Eating Disorders among Jewish Women Increasing?

"The Jewish culture is very much steeped in food tradition. There are 18 holidays on the Jewish calendar that incorporate food into religious traditions, and this does not include Shabbat, the weekly observance of a day of rest. Many food preparations require day after day in the kitchen, sometimes creating a difficult environment for women who struggle with food-related behaviors.
A recent presentation in Chicago by eating disorders specialist Adrienne Ressler of the Renfrew Center presented the latest in a trend that shows that growing problem of eating disorders among Jewish women. In addition, Marjorie C. Feinson presented research highlighting the prevalence of eating disorders among Jewish women in Israel."

Please continue reading this article by following this link:
http://www.eating-disorder-resources.com/eating-disorder-articles/research-news/eating-disorders-jewish-women/

With the compelling evidence suggesting that Eating Disorders are increasing among Jewish Women, what are ways/sources of healing for you or someone you know who may be seeking recovery?

My Anorexia: How I Became a Survivor

by Jessica Pauline Ogilvie, JewishJournal.com
June 15, 2011

About seven of us have gathered for group therapy in a large room scattered with chairs. A woman with frizzy red hair and a head that looks several sizes too big for her emaciated body sits across from me. Next to her, a statuesque blonde has a polished demeanor that belies the fact that, after lunch, staff members will try to keep her from going to the bathroom to vomit...finish article.

********************************
Visit the new Eating Disorder Hope page dedicated to treatment options, resources and information in Israel.