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Concerted effort needed to aid youth with eating disorders

Eating disorders stem from psychological tendencies to eat either very little or a lot. Youth are more vulnerable to these because of inaccurate media portrayals of self-image. (“Former eating disorder sufferers tell their stories, seek to help youth”; Jan 8)

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Darren Chan Keng Leong

Eating disorders stem from psychological tendencies to eat either very little or a lot. Youth are more vulnerable to these because of inaccurate media portrayals of self-image. (“Former eating disorder sufferers tell their stories, seek to help youth”; Jan 8)

Common eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating coexist usually with other underlying problems such as depression or anxiety issues. It is important that sufferers of eating disorders be surrounded by people willing to support them as they seek professional help.

Parents should advise their teenage children to maintain a balanced food intake and a healthy lifestyle. Striking a healthy balance is necessary in having self-worth, which helps to keep these disorders at bay.

Healthcare professionals such as those in the Health Promotion Board should research more into lesser-known disorders such as orthorexia. This, and having data, will create more solutions and help a larger pool of sufferers.

Although the symptoms may be ambiguous, as they vary with individuals, there are sufficient warning signs, such as an unhealthy preoccupation with body image, that are crucial to identifying such disorders.

Healthcare institutes with programmes for eating disorders must reach out more to educational institutes. There is a need for more awareness, to create more avenues for youth to seek help, for themselves or those around them.

Schools should also be open about having counselling services or support systems in place to assist students, and to encourage them to be open about their problems.

Eating disorders affect people’s physical, emotional and social health, and must be taken seriously through a concerted effort to break the misconceptions surrounding these disorders and give youth the support they deserve.

With more initiatives to educate others about the types of eating disorders, more youth will have the courage to come forward and overcome their problems together with the community’s support.

A support framework will also spur former sufferers to share their stories and advice, so others who are struggling with such disorders know that they are not alone in this fight.

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