"91% of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight though dieting. 86% report onset of eating disorder by age 20; 43% report onset between ages of 16 and 20.6. Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.8. 25% of college-aged women engage in bingeing and purging as a weight-management technique."
It appears that every weekend when I pick up the paper, the front page is always sprawled with new research and new statistics regarding the mental and physical state of school-aged children. Apparently the pressures of school, social and home life are taking their toll on our youth. This makes me so sad. We live in an age where 'thigh gaps' are encouraged, and getting a good grade is more important than a good nights sleep.
Eating disorders are a topic close to me. I've had friends battle though them, and come out the other side. Although the might look okay by the end of it, their insides and organs are severely damaged. It's time we started to look after our body's the right way.
"Did you ever realize how much your body loves you? It’s always trying to keep you alive. It’s making sure you breathe while you sleep, stopping cuts from bleeding, fixing broken bones, finding ways to beat the illnesses that might get you. Your body literally loves you so much. It’s time you start loving it back."
