At the crux of the book ‘The Beauty Myth’ lies Wolf’s plausible claim that ‘beauty’ is not about physical appearance as she quotes, “The beauty myth is always actually prescribing behaviour and not appearance.” The lines work wonderfully in print and in public discourse, but how many of us literally take this into consideration?
Girls in adolescence view their diets in terms of appearance and body type, whereas boys are more focused on fitness and overall health. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are the three recognised eating disorders.
The prevalence of eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia, which are excruciatingly familiar, is painfully overlooked in a country like India, where the majority of society is already inclined to dismiss any mental health issues.
Eating disorders (EDs) are defined by the fact that they cause severe changes in how a person eats. People with these disorders are obsessed with food, weight, and how they look. EDs can sometimes put people’s lives in danger because of health problems caused by malnutrition. Not until the end of the 20th century were the first cases of ED in India known. The recent coverage of ED in India may have been affected by the way the media praises the “size zero” body type and by culturally accepted pressures to be thin, shame the body, and be unhappy with one’s body. However, there is a dearth of ED studies being conducted in India. Nearly 15% of women between the ages of 17 and 24 have eating disorders of some kind, according to the Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association (MEDA). Formerly thought to be a problem that only affected the West, eating disorders are now seen in adolescents from all socioeconomic and racial backgrounds, and more than 75% of these cases begin in adolescence.
People with Anorexia Nervosa lose weight rapidly and are skinny (less than 85% of normal or ideal body weight), develop lanugo-a fine downy hairs on arms and legs. They inculcate habits like excessive exercising, avoiding specific foods or whole categories, denying hunger, and avoiding social invitations because of food that might be served. A person diagnosed with bulimia nervosa ensures strict dieting followed by bingeing and has the habit of purging via diuretics, laxatives, emetics, fasting or vomiting. People who have a binge eating disorder usually are overweight or obese and frequently eat large amounts in a short time. They eat to the point of extreme discomfort and regret later.
Ultimately eating disorder leads to depression, loneliness, shame, guilt, and low self-esteem among adolescents. We should understand the simple fact that Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses associated with food and body image and not merely lifestyle choices.
EDs are complex problems that require a multidisciplinary approach involving medical, psychological, and nutritional experts. New therapies are being researched, such as magnetic stimulation of the brain, whose aim is to correct this mirror or this distorted self-image that people have. Contrary to popular belief, eating disorders are not solely related to one’s weight, diet, or even whether or not they are thin or fat. Typically, they also deal with communication, depression, self-expression, and self-esteem.
More importantly, cross-age and cross-socioeconomic research are needed in India to dispel the stigma associated with reaching out for HELP.
As Laurie Halse Anderson rightly said, “There is no magic cure, no making it all go away forever. There are only small steps upward; an easier day, an unexpected laugh, a mirror that doesn’t matter anymore.”