Eating Disorders

Savannah K.

Ms.Fronk

8TH Grade ELA

4 February 2015

Eating Disorders

        What are eating disorders? Eating Disorders are a serious and life-threatening illness. Eating Disorders date back to the first century. Romans made themselves throw-up, so they could continue to feast and eat. I’d like to help prevent eating disorders. Society has had the biggest impact on eating disorders.

        Eating disorders have been around for a while now. During the post-pagan Christian era, roman ladies would starve themselves acting under spiritual guidance. Egyptian’s had monthly purges to avoid illness. Chinese scripts and Persian medical manuscripts describe modern eating disorders. Even now, the media has had a big influence on people’s eating habits. The media makes people think they need to be thin and perfect to be happy. When they become thin, they can’t see the results, they can only see who they were and not who they became.

        Society has had a big effect on eating disorders. Diet commercials suggest and say that you’ll be happier skinny. Students bully other students because of their weight, which causes to have low self-esteem. The research is even underfunded. Eating disorders may not seem like a big deal, but they are a big deal. The research is underfunded, because society doesn’t think of eating disorders as a big deal. Even television influences teens, because of the diet commercials they advertise.

        Some people think that society’s not at fault, but the person themselves is at fault. Women, in the past, had eating disorders because of their religion. They were following their faith, to prove that they were devoted to the religion and god. Eating disorders are all around the world, they have been here for a long time. The fact that they are still around, shows that people are not at fault but society, too.  

        There are many treatments and preventions for eating disorders. Only one out of ten men and women can get treatment. If the disorder gets bad enough you might need to go to nutritional counseling. They also might give you some medicine like antidepressants. You can also go to individual, group, or family psychotherapy. If you notice someone who’s eating and they’re getting really skinny, confront them. I f they don’t listen to your advice, then tell an adult.  You can save someone’s life or your own.