” February 22 marks the beginning of the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. This week is often overlooked and forgotten, which is unfortunate. Eating disorders are very serious and affect more people than one might expect. According to Nationaleatingdisorder.”
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February 22 marks the beginning of the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

This week is often overlooked and forgotten, which is unfortunate.

Eating disorders are very serious and affect more people than one might expect.

According to Nationaleatingdisorder.org, over half of teenage girls and around one-third of boys will go to an unhealthy measure in order to prevent weight gain including vomiting, smoking and laxatives.

The site also said that 46 percent girls between the ages of 9 to 11 are sometimes or very often on diets.

Other startling statistics state that 81 percent of 10 year-olds are afraid of being fat, and 42 percent of first through third graders want to be thinner.

This shows that there is a definite problem in today’s society and the way we view weight.

Weight is too much of a focal point in media and should be lessened. Instead of thinness being stressed in the media, healthiness should be.

First through third graders shouldn’t be wanting to get thinner, they should just be enjoying being a kid.

And it’s not just kids that struggle with this illness many adults do too.

That’s why we think this week is so important. It brings awareness to how many people are actually suffering with this illness and offers help.

So, don’t scoff and say this is just another stupid week. Help spread the word and the importance of a healthy body image.

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