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'Kate, don't take eating disorders so lightly'
KATE Moss is an inspiration to thousands of young girls and when she said her motto is "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" the public reacted in anger.
Pro-anorexia websites use the controversial slogan and it is often used as one of their “10 commandments”.
The supermodel has been accused of encouraging young girls to starve themselves.
Karen Rowe, from Coast and Moors Voluntary Action, runs self-help and support groups at Allatt House, in West Parade Road, to help people who suffer from anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders.
She said Kate’s message was very unhelpful. “Young people look up to Kate Moss – she is extremely well known and young people aspire to be like her,” Karen said. “Her comment was very irresponsible. She is in a position where people, especially young girls, would copy her as she is a role model to them. There are so many people who try and help people with eating disorders so her words were very unhelpful.”
Karen runs an “Issue with Eating” self-help group which covers topics such as food, health and challenging unwanted behaviours, learning to feel good about yourself and other issues around eating.
Karen said: “Unfortunately anorexia is a huge problem in Scarborough and we do have some severe cases. At our meetings we talk about how the problem affects them and we look at coping strategies. When people come together they can help each other and they are always so relieved when they realise that other people suffer from the same problem.
“The hardest part is admitting you have a problem. Some people just come to the meetings and listen. They do not say anything. They just want to hear other people’s experiences and see how they could get help.”
A recent survey revealed that 10 per cent of girls aged 14 and 15 are routinely missing two meals a day because they believe they need to lose weight.
The study by the Exeter-based Schools Health Education Unit found that a majority of teenage girls, and 40 per cent of 10 and 11-year-olds, believed they needed to slim but few were actually overweight.
Karen added: “People forget that it is a life-threatening illness. That is why when you hear people like Kate Moss saying comments like that it is distressing.
“I think it is a terrible motto. It is incredibly unhealthy to live your life like that and that is not the message we should be delivering to women.”
When Kate said the motto she also said “You try and remember, but it never works.”
Anorexia stems from low self-esteem and an inability to cope safely with worries and problems.
It involves restricting the amount of food you take in by skipping meals and cutting down the types and amounts of food you eat.
Some people over-exercise as well. You may believe that if you lose weight your life would be happier, people will like you more, you will be more successful or even perhaps that you will be noticed less.
Beat is the UK’s leading eating disorder charity and provides information and help on all aspects of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and related eating disorders. Karen’s self-help groups are affiliated by Beat and she carries out training with the charity. “There are always places people can get help – our groups will start again in the new year and we urge people affected to come along,” Karen added.
l You can contact Karen on (01723) 383455.
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Weather for Scarborough
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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