Health Promotion's eating disorders campaign

The Health Promotion Department organised an Eating Disorders Awareness Week between July 11 and 17. The aim is to create awareness on eating disorders - causes, development and consequences - and the effect of the media on young people and their self-image.

The campaign also targeted medical doctors since they are frequently the first point of contact and, therefore, in a position to identify cases of eating disorders.

The Health Promotion Department is concerned that various parents and schools recurrently report cases of eating disorders, especially in young women. Besides, many youths and their parents do not realise that they have an emotional or psychological problem and so do not seek professional help.

Eating disorders develop as outward signs of inner emotional or psychological distress or problems. They become the way that people cope with difficulties in their life. Worries about weight become an obsession and eating, or not eating, is used to help block out painful feelings.

Everyone who has an eating disorder has negative thoughts about themselves and may think that the way to change how they feel about themselves is to change their body. However, it is in fact about getting in touch with themselves - emotions, thoughts and feelings, and being able to be themselves and changing what they tell themselves: by sending positive messages to themselves.

Recovering from an eating disorder can be a long, difficult process for everyone involved. However, over time it is possible to gain new confidence and begin to realise there are other ways of coping. Recovery takes courage and perseverance, but it is worthwhile and it is possible. Many have done it, succeeded and moved on.

Let us together - teachers, parents, health care professionals, journalists - be aware of these conditions and encourage young people, especially those who show the first signs of the problem, to seek help immediately.