Obesity warnings an 'excuse' to diet
07 October 2006
Warnings about the obesity epidemic are having dangerous and unintended consequences as more girls go on crash diets, MPs have been told.
Parliament's health select committee, which is conducting an inquiry into obesity, was told this week that people seeking support for eating disorders were also finding the anti-obesity message "problematic".
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"Cultures that idealise slenderness and denigrate fatness produce eating difficulties and body dissatisfaction," Eating Difficulties Education Network's Maree Burns said.
Since the anti-obesity message started some years ago, anecdotal evidence suggested that growing numbers of young girls were using it as an "excuse" to diet.
Eating Awareness Team support worker Kate Yeoman said the anti-obesity message was not helping, as the Christchurch agency struggled to deal with growing numbers of young girls dieting. Though a link could not be proved, the message was being seized upon by young women as a reason to diet.
Television shows tracking overweight people as they lost weight were also increasing anxiety levels, she said.
In its submission, the Eating Difficulties Education Network said obesity phobia and fat prejudice were a problem in schools, with children being bullied for being overweight. It urged the committee to recommend that schools and public health agencies stop using the term "obesity epidemic".
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