Article: An Anorexic Takes on 'America's Next Top Model'

[DjDeluxay]

it just seems they want something to blame her "disease" on. i agree, anything can trigger any type of relaspse. Like with food, a commercial can trigger hunger, a ad with a girl surrounded by tabacco can trigger an ex-smoker.
a prostitute can trigger a sex-addicted person.
anything can trigger anything.
is she trying to have them shut the show down? of course that is not going to happen.
but I (and most likely Tyra) are outraged for such aligations as to having a certain reality show (when it's editing for ratings most likely) would cause such a thing.

It's just there are alot of people in America that have some form of depression and don't want to admit they are "un normal" but what is normal?
and so they want to blame it on something to make them feel normal

[soma]

There is a lot of misinformation going around about eating disorders and other mental health issues. Yes, anorexia nervosa and bulimia (and depression) are diseases. They are not something that the afflicted person should be blamed for, although it is up to that person to make the choice to become healthy. They are only abnormal in the way that someone with diabetes is abnormal. Most research is showing there is probably a genetic component to these conditions, so people are probably presdisposed to this type of thing and it's usually triggered by puberty, although kids as young as 5 or 6 are more common these days. If you have ever seen the pro- 'ana' and 'mia' websites out there you would be saddened.
The media is not completely without blame here, though. 5 year olds do not get the notion they are "fat" and need to diet and exercise without seeing this behaviour somewhere else. Many times it's parents, but kids DO watch TV. For a good idea of how media influence may trigger this type of behaviour take a look at what has happened in the past decade in India. In a country where approximately 60% of the population is suffering from malnutrition due to poverty, anorexia is on the rise. It was extremely rare in the past. In fact, the traditional, historical Indian idea of beauty is a healthy, curvy woman (one who can afford to eat). Take a look at some of India's Bollywood films, especially some of the older ones from the 70's and 80's, for a good example of this. However, western entertainment, Hollywood and cable TV, have become increasingly more popular and they've begun seeing a significant amount of eating disorders in teenage girls.
I'm not blaming ANTM, I think it's a great show. It think it has more to do with the sharp contrast between the ideas of 'attractively (usualy dangerously) thin' (Courtney Cox, Lara Flynn Boyle, Debra Messing before the kid) and "ugly" and fat. There's no middle ground. Obesity is a problem, and our eating habits and lack of exercise are to blame (they are making slow inroads with "adult Happy Meals" and that type of thing), but women of healthy, normal weight are thin on the ground as role models in the media. I actually applaud Tyra for being vocal about supporting plus sized models even if we all know that one will never win.
Lastly, as someone who has experience with living with those wth eating disorders, let me assure you they are usually very, very good at hiding it if they want to. There are certain signs you can look for, but who would think to look for them in a 5 year old? And in the mother's defense, one of the articles did state that her mother found out and took her to the doctor when it started, at the age of 5, and 3 different docs blew her off, saying that it was just a phase before she found one that took it seriously. So I doubt that it went undiscovered or untreated for 7 years, diagnosing it doesn't cure it; it takes a long, long time to learn to control it. It's really like being an addict or an alcoholic, you're never 'cured', but you learn to control it and try to avoid a relapse, which can be triggered by certain things (and there's where I do blame the mother- don't let her watch the damn show, fool!)

And there is your Public Service Announcement for the day.
Sorry. I'm done now, really.

[Mattio]

Does paper count as a carbohydrate?

yeah, how many points does it count as on the Jenny Craig Diet?

Actually I always thought that if I ever starved, I would eat paper, and grass and stuff, now I know that it won't do anything anyways, so theres no point.

Also which color taste the best?

[Kao]

Construction paper is the best. Along with paste.

It sounds like this girl is not only an anorexic, but also suffering from the pica disorder. I knew someone who ate dirt all the time. Starch too. I can understand that, but PAPER?

i'm not even blaming her mom for it either. Sometimes you have to take responsibility for your own actions. She should have known that watching skinny women strutting around on a modeling show might not be the best thing to watch, but she did it anyway. Someone needs more therapy...

[SnowflakeGirl]

SnowflakeGirl, you are just too much! When will you be writing again or are you presently covering a show now?

Starting in June, I will be covering more wonderful role models for our children: Paris & Nicole. So cuddle up on the couch with me and a bowl of popcorn (or, if you are Justine & her mom, a bowl of styrofoam packing peanuts) for The Simple Life 2.

[Mattio]

Starting in June, I will be covering more wonderful role models for our children: Paris & Nicole. So cuddle up on the couch with me and a bowl of popcorn (or, if you are Justine & her mom, a bowl of styrofoam packing peanuts) for The Simple Life 2.

YEA!!!!!!!!!! I WANT TO BE A SLUT TOO!

[karalott]

You have a 12 yr who has anorexia for 7 years and Mom never noticed. I am surprised this kid survived. She must have permanent damage to her body. Why was the mother never charged with child neglect and endangerment. The mother of that 12 yr old girl who was too fat was taken to court (I think the girl died she was over 200 lbs). It makes you wonder about the message this gives in our society. Make your kid fat and go to jail. Let your child starve and become a media star.

I didn't hear about the case your talking about, but on Dr. Phil one day there was a woman who had her 4 old taken away because he weighed over 100 lbs. She said it wasn't her fault. Then she had another baby and that one was taken away from her right away.

Sometimes I wish the media wouldn't encourage people like this. It's good to tell her story and everything because she might actually help people, but on the other hand she might be giving girls ideas that they never thought of (I've never heard of someone eating paper.) And who knows, this might launch a bunch of lawsuits against the show from 12 year olds saying the it made them have an eating disorder.

[Bearcata]

There was a case that made the national news about a 12 year old girl ( this was perphaps 2 or 3 years ago) that was very obese. At the time the local district attorney was pressing child endangerment against the mother. i'm pretty sure the girl died as a result of obesity. I think it was out in California.

[Starby]

Would you believe I used to eat paper? It was some stupid phase I went through when I wa about seven years old -- whenever my mom made spaghetti, which she knew I hated; it actually sent chills down my spine when I thought of eating it. She would tell me I could eat the spaghetti or nothing at all. For "revenge" I would sit in my closet, coat strips of paper with cherry chapstick, and eat 'em. I could go through about two pages of typing paper.

I was doing it for attention, but since she never seemed to mind, I eventually stopped.

Never did I think about my weight (and I WAS a chubby girl) until about fifth grade. I think there is more to this mother and daughter than the story they are telling -- in any case, I do feel bad for the little girl.


P.S
And now I don't mind spaghetti.