Girls are particularly susceptible to these pressures. A recent Girlguiding UK study found that half of 11to 16-year-old girls wanted to be thinner. Cases of bulimia and anorexia among girls under 18 admitted for treatment have increased by 47 per cent, from 562 in 2004 to 825 in 2008. Of even more concern is the 25 per cent rise in girls under nine being treated for eating disorders. Helping young people to overcome fixations on unrealistic body image will help to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of young people.
CASE STUDY 1
Beat is a campaign and support organisation for young people with eating disorders. It was formed in 1989 as the UK's first national organisation devoted to eating disorders. The organisation runs a project called Educate Too, which aims to provide a whole school hub of information to secondary schools to prevent eating disorders. The project has created classroom resources to aid discussion on all areas related to eating disorders.
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