John Chiasson, BSc, MD - President, Doctors Nova Scotia
February 5 to 11 is Eating Disorder Awareness Week and doctors in Nova Scotia are speaking up to help raise awareness of eating disorders and decrease stigma through understanding.
Disordered eating includes a range of food and weight related beliefs and practices which negatively affect an individual’s overall well-being. This includes chronic dieting, compulsive eating, and behaviours seen in anorexia and bulimia.
Self-esteem and social value are increasingly connected to physical appearance. This creates pressure to meet an unattainable standard of beauty which leads individuals to develop harmful feelings toward their bodies.
And it’s not just about women. Men and boys can have destructive attitudes towards their bodies, unhealthy eating patterns and eating disorders too. Many women and men act on these feelings and go to dangerous and damaging lengths to change their bodies.
It’s estimated that there is one man for every 20 women with anorexia and one man for every 10 women with bulimia.
Preoccupations with one’s physical size, shape or weight can negatively impact their ability to have healthy relationships, go to school or work, or to engage in community life. Food and weight preoccupation can also lead to severe physical and emotional problems.
Eating disorders aren’t just about ‘being skinny’ either. There are many factors that can influence the development of an eating disorder. People who struggle with identity and self-image can be at risk, as well as those who have experienced a traumatic event. Usually, an eating disorder signals deep emotional difficulties that someone is unable to face or resolve.
If you or someone you know struggles with food and weight preoccupation or suffers from disordered eating, take a positive step and speak to a doctor. For more information, visit www.nedic.ca.
