Crisis Services Kids Helpline - Buffalo, NY - 24 hour Helpline: 716-834-1144 or toll free at 1-877-KIDS-400

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only! It’s not a substitute for talking to a counselor. So that means that if you are experiencing a crisis right now – meaning you really need to talk to someone or if you are experiencing an emergency – please call the Kids’ Helpline immediately at 716-834-1144, toll free at 1-877-KIDS-400, or dial 911.

Eating Disorders

Adolescents are at a particular risk of developing eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, due in part to the extreme pressure on us to conform to society’s stereotypes of what our body image should be. This page provides you with some questions about your own eating, some stats on eating disorders and most importantly, how to help someone whose eating habits concern you.

Questions to ask yourself: Do I…

Weigh myself every day?
Skip at least one meal a day?
Count calories and fat grams every time I eat?
Exercise because I have to not because I want to?
Binge and purge?

An eating disorder is a severe change in a person’s eating habits because of a negative perception of body shape and weight. The most common forms of eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia.

Anorexia Nervosa is an intense fear of becoming fat. Anorexics see themselves as "fat", no matter how they really look. There is usually self-starvation, a great deal of weight loss (or in children or adolescents, no weight gain), and a refusal to maintain the minimal normal body weight. Female anorexics may even lose their menstrual periods.

Bulimia is a combination of periods of binge eating followed by attempts to purge either through forced vomiting, use of laxatives and/or diuretics, and excessive exercising or running. Bulimics are often within the range of normal body weight, so the disorder can remain undetected for a considerable period of time.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, more than seven million Americans suffer from anorexia and bulimia. One out of ten people who are eating disordered die from it. As long as we continue to place such importance on thinness and dieting, we can expect this number to rise. That’s why it’s important to make sure that help and information about the seriousness of eating disorders is available. It can mean the difference between life and death.

Statistics About Eating Disorders

In 1995 the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention conducted a national Youth Risk Behavior Survey among approximately 11,000 high school students. The results startled even educators:

27.6% of male and female students thought they were overweight.
47.8 % of females reported they had attempted to lose weight in the preceding month.
7.6 % of females reported using laxatives or vomiting to lose weight in the preceding month.
8.7% of females reported taking diet pills to lose weight or keep from gaining weight in the preceding month.
63.8% of females reported they exercised to lose weight or prevent weight gain in the preceding month.

How To Help A Friend With An Eating Disorder

You are a great friend for seeking help for them! We understand that this can be very difficult and scary for you as a friend or family member of someone with a potential eating disorder. We want you to know that you are doing the right thing by learning more about eating disorders and seeking the information and help that could save your friend's life.

At least 5-10 million girls and women and one million boys and men in the United States are struggling with eating disorders. This means there are lots of people out there who understand what you are going through and are eager to help you and your friend. Because 90% of the people suffering from eating disorders in the U.S. are female, and 10% are male we will frequently refer to your friend as she. However, this information is important for everyone and it should be helpful for any friend or relative, male or female.

Eating disorders are serious, even life threatening, health conditions:

An eating disorder is often a person’s method of coping with or avoiding events or feelings in her life.
It may be a way for a person to feel control or nothing at all.
Eating disorders are complex physical, emotional, and psychological conditions.
She may be trying to distract or numb herself from pain or fear.

Even if your friend doesn’t fit one of the descriptions above, she may be wrapped up in DISORDERED EATING. Disordered eating means that your friend’s attitudes about food, weight, and her body may be causing her to have very strict eating and exercise habits that jeopardize her health, happiness and safety. Disordered Eating may begin as a way to lose a few pounds or get in shape, but these behaviors can quickly get out of control, can become obsessions, and may even turn into a full-blown Eating Disorder.

Warning Signs:

Has your friend lost or gained a significant amount of weight recently?
Does she avoid eating meals or snacks when you are together?
Does she categorize food into "Good Foods" or "Bad Foods"?
Does she calculate the number of fat grams and calories in each bite?
Does she talk or worry about her size and shape?
Does she weigh herself often?
Does she exercise because she feels like she has to, not because she wants to?

If you answered "Yes" to some of these questions, your friend could be struggling with, or on her way to an Eating Disorder.

Getting Help

Learn as much as you can about eating disorders. Read books, articles and brochures.

Know the difference between facts and myths about nutrition and exercise. Knowing the facts will help you reason against any inaccurate ideas that your friend may be using as excuses to maintain her disordered eating patterns.

Be honest. Talk openly and honestly about your concerns with the person who is struggling with eating or body image issues. Avoiding or ignoring it won’t help!

Be caring, but be firm. Caring about your friend does NOT mean being manipulated by her. Your friend must be responsible for her actions and their consequences. Avoid making "rules" or expectations you cannot or will not uphold.

Tell someone. Share this information. It may seem very difficult to know when, if at all, to tell someone else about your concerns. Addressing body image or eating problems in their beginning stages probably offers your friend the best chance for working through them and becoming healthy. Don’t wait until the situation is so severe that your friend’s life is in danger. Consider telling her parents, a teacher, a doctor, a counselor, a nutritionist, or any trusted adult. She needs as much support and understanding from the people in her life as possible.

What should I say?

Be gentle, but don’t waste any time!
Express your concerns in a loving, supportive way.
It is important to be honest and respectful.
It is also important to discuss your worries early on, rather than waiting until your friend has experienced many of the damaging physical and emotional effects of eating disorders.

What if she won’t listen?

If your friend has become obsessed with eating, exercising, or her body, she probably needs professional help. She may be angry that you call her on her attitudes and behaviors, or she may deny that there’s a problem. If she won’t listen, you should tell someone who will listen and someone who can help. You can give her the number for the Kids' Helpline at 716-834-1144 or toll free at 1-877-KIDS-400 and have her talk to a counselor. You can call too to get support and practice what you want to say to her about her problem. We’re always here to help you both!

What can I do to help prevent eating disorders?

Here are some ways you can help promote healthy body image and remind yourself and others that self-esteem should never be weighed in pounds on a scale:

Consider and be aware of the ways your beliefs and attitudes about your body and others’ bodies are influenced by our society and culture.

Be a good role model in your attitudes about food, body image, and weight-related issues. Avoid making negative comments about your body or anyone else’s. Remember that your comments impact others even when you may not intend them to.

Take good care of yourself. This includes eating well, getting plenty of rest, enjoying a bit of exercise, and interacting with people you love and enjoy being with. (Maybe even talking to a counselor about your worries).

Talk to others about the natural differences in body types and the body’s powerful attempts to maintain these various shapes and sizes.

Learn about and tell family and friends about the dangers of dieting, the importance of eating a variety of foods, and enjoying moderate exercise to feel healthy and strong. Avoid overemphasizing a person’s beauty and shape.

Do and say whatever you can to support and encourage the self-esteem and self-respect of your friends, family, classmates, teammates, and roommates in personal, social, athletic, and intellectual endeavors. Provide males and females with the same opportunities and encouragement!

Source: Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention.

REMEMBER: You cannot force someone to seek help, change their habits, or adjust their attitudes. You will help your friend by honestly sharing your concerns, providing support, and knowing where to go for more information! One place to turn to is the Kids’ Helpline at 716-834-1144 or toll free at 1-877-KIDS-400.