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Do Tell: What Was Your Mother's Relationship to Food?

TresSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Did you "thin-herit" food issues from your mother?

According to a poll conducted by teen magazine Sugar, girls ages 12 - 18 said that their mother's eating and/or dieting habits and views on food were the biggest influence on their own relationship to food. It was found that if a mom diets, she's twice as likely to have a daughter with an eating disorder.

What was your mother's relationship to food? Do you think it has affected you positively or negatively?

Ralph Lauren Rep Apologizes For Photoshopping Model

TresSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:10:00 -0700

When controversy erupted over an image for Ralph Lauren's Blue Label - model Filippa Hamilton's body appeared to have been digitally retouched, so that she looked bobble-headed and emaciated - I was convinced that the image wasn't the original ad. I was sure that it had been retouched by one of those "thinspirational" proanorexia blogs you hear about which feature models Photoshopped, so that they look like Holocaust victims.

Wow, was I wrong. A spokesperson for Ralph Lauren made this comment about the controversial image:

"For over 42 years, we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately."

Website Boing Boing was first to criticize the image by saying, "Dude, her head's bigger than her pelvis." When Ralph Lauren asked them to take the image down, claiming copyright infringement, they refused, citing fair use laws that that allow for the reproduction of images "for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting."

Maybe this will be a message to the cabal of Photoshoppers gone wild who don't seem to recognize that they're contributing to the unrealistic body images that make normal women feel inadequate. When an uberthin model isn't thin enough for the fashion industry, something is seriously wrong.

Say What? Plus-Size Model Crystal Renn Isn't Hungry Anymore

TresSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:40:00 -0700

"Even though I was accomplishing my dream, I was absolutely miserable. I was torturing myself every day by going to the gym every day up to eight hours a day and starving myself."

- From anorexic to plus-size model and now author of the memoir Hungry, Crystal Renn tells Good Morning America how she suffered to get where she is now. She thought she had signed up for a dream job when a modeling scout told her she had the look. The catch? The 5'9" Renn was told she needed to shave nine inches from her hips and lose around 70 pounds - which she did, at one time weighing only 90 pounds. Older, wiser, and a lot less hungry, Renn should be a lesson to us all: don't lose yourself (figuratively or literally!) to make anyone else happy.

Anorexia and Autism: Is There a Connection?

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:00:00 -0700

Both anorexia and Asperger's, a form of autism, remain highly misunderstood. Ongoing research out of the Maudsley Hospital in London points to a surprising relationship between these two conditions. Maudsley researchers believe anorexia is an inheritable trait, rather than a psycho-social problem, and is related to autism. Although the two conditions present differently, both conditions, according to autism expert Simon Baron-Cohen (Sacha's cousin) share a "narrow focus of attention, a resistance to change and excellent attention to detail." Research has also shown that 15 to 20 percent of patients diagnosed with anorexia are also on the autism spectrum.

Does the US Pay More Attention to Obesity or Anorexia?

FitSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:30:00 -0700

We refer to obesity as an epidemic and talk about anorexia as an eating disorder, but both illustrate our extreme relationships with food. Disordered eating is a regular topic in Lifetime movies and TV talk shows, and there are occasionally real-life documentaries of young women battling anorexia. When a fashion model suffers from an eating disorder, we hear about it in the news.

Obesity has been making news headlines for the past decade or so, with a heavy hand coming down on fast-food restaurants. Obese individuals have made their stories public with several reality TV shows, and there's a push for parents to take responsibility for teaching their kids' healthy-eating habits.

In a recent interview, Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour surmised her thoughts on eating issues in the US.

I'd just been on a trip to Minnesota, where I can only kindly describe most of the people I saw as little houses. There's such an epidemic of obesity in the United States, and for some reason, everybody focuses on anorexia.

Ironically, Minnesota is one of the healthiest states in the nation. Do you agree with Anna's comment about everyone focusing on anorexia?

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Anna Wintour in Minnesota: People Are Little Houses Here

TresSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:00:00 -0700

"I'd just been on a trip to Minnesota, where I can only kindly describe most of the people I saw as little houses. And I just felt like there’s such an epidemic of obesity in the United States. And for some reason everyone focuses on anorexia."

On 60 Minutes last night, Vogue editor Anna Wintour recounted a recent trip to the Midwest and her "concern" with America's obesity crisis. It might surprise Anna that Minneapolis, MN, was ranked America's third most fit city, while New York City came in fifth on "the top fattest cities" list.

To see the clip, read more,

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Book Bag: Wintergirls

TresSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:00:00 -0700

“I bit the days off in rows. . . . Bite. Chew. Swallow."

Laurie Halse Anderson's new novel, Wintergirls, is narrated by 18-year-old Lia, who has had anorexia since the 8th grade.

It begins on the morning that she finds out that her best friend Cassie has died, and follows her through her struggle with anorexia and its paradoxical dictates: sickness is strength, courting death is taking control, and nourishment is weakness. Having lost Cassie, with whom she bonded over anorexia, Lia finds comfort in "pro-ana" anorexia chat rooms. To find out what one reviewer thought of Wintergirls as well as why some experts worry about anorexia narratives, read more.

Described by one reviewer as "a fearless, riveting account of a young woman in the grip of a deadly illness," Wintergirls and other books with eating disorders as their subject nevertheless spark fears among those who work with anorexic patients. Will these narratives help them to explore their disorders in order to get well, or will it serve as a "thinspiration" trigger, stoking their self-destructive desires to waste away?

"There is a dangerous trend to view anorexia as a lifestyle choice rather than a serious mental illness," says Cynthia M. Bulik, director of the eating disorders program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. "It is true that seeing someone they perceive as thinner, seeing pictures of other thin girls, hearing about someone’s new approach to starvation, can all trigger someone with anorexia or someone who is on the verge. There is an inexplicable competitiveness about the starvation process in this illness."

Have you known anyone with anorexia or have you struggled with it yourself? Do books like Wintergirls help or harm?

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Fab Flash: Anorexic Woman Used in Italian Fashion Ad

FabSugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:30:33 -0700

A photograph of a naked anorexic woman is making waves in Italy, where it appeared Monday in newspapers and on billboards to highlight the effects of anorexia during Milan fashion week. The photo is also meant to advertise the Italian clothing brand Nolita to young women.

Shot by Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani, who is well-known for his controversial Benetton campaigns, the aim of the photo was "to use that naked body to show everyone the reality of this illness, caused in most cases by the stereotypes imposed by the world of fashion."

Isabelle Caro, the French model who appears in the photo, has been anorexic for 15 years and suffers from the skin disease psoriasis. The reason for agreeing to do the campaign? "I hid myself and covered myself up for too long. Now I want to show myself without fear even though I know my body is repugnant."

The campaign has received support from Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and the Italian Health Minister, but Fabiola De Clercq, head of the Italian Association for the Study of Anorexia, said that it was "pointless and damaging" to show such a "crude and exaggerated image." What do you think?

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Courts Call It: Keira's Not Anorexic

FitSugar — Fri, 25 May 2007 15:15:00 -0700

Keira Knightley has been battling with British tabloid UK Daily Mail regarding a story they ran with a picture of her in a bikini, headlined: "If Pictures Like This One of Keira Carried a Health Warning, My Darling Daughter Might Have Lived." Knightley felt that the article could have been interpreted that she was the cause of the tragic death of a 19-year-old, who battled with anorexia.

CNN.com has reported that the courts chose to rule in Keira's favor, awarding her £3,000 ($5,965) in libel damages. Knightley will be contributing another 3,000 pounds to her settlement and donating it all to BEAT, a charity organization that provides assistance to people with eating and mental disorders.

I know it's easy to point fingers at skinny celebs, but it is true that Keira has always been a thin girl and we do not see her weight fluctuating wildly like other celebs. Personally, I am happy for Keira and I love that she is donating the money to a good cause. I would love for the tabloids to stop focusing on how skinny (or fat) celebs are daily because if they do in fact have an eating disorder, the reports can only make things worse for everyone.

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Ana and Mia: My Eating Disorder "Friends"

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:15:00 -0800

If you're searching for information on the internet about eating disorders, you're bound to come across 2 girls' names, Ana and Mia.

I've seen it phrased, "My Life With Ana," "Me and Mia," "PRO-Ana," and sadly, "Mia hates You." No, these aren't real girls' names. Ana is short for Anorexia and Mia is short for Bulimia. These nicknames are a way to personify eating disorders, and to make it easier for people to talk openly about them.

Since it is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I thought you should know that there are so many "PRO-Ana" videos out there that sadly promote eating disorders. I found one video of a girl who was sick of it. She recovered from eating disorders herself, and made this video to reveal the true picture of what it means to go through it.

I have a few more things to say on this subject, so read more

Anorexia and Bulimia are not only about food. Eating disorders become a mechanism to cope with serious emotional problems. They are a way to gain control over your life. People with eating disorders suffer through a constant battle with self-hatred and obsess about food, calories, grams of fat, and their weight.

Their lives become about dieting, binging, purging, and refraining from food all together. It's kind of like a self-punishment for not being perfect.

Fit's Tips: If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, there are many people and treatment centers available who want to help. Avalon Hills is located in Utah, Fairwinds in Florida, Monte Nido in California, and Renfrew in Pennsylvania. They all offer counseling programs to help people heal their hearts and change their lives.

There are also some great PR0-RECOVERY sites out there. Check out Something Fishy, and the National Eating Disorder Association, they are both excellent resources.