Fat Tummy - Concerns Of An Anorexic Girl -
"I've Got Too Much Stomach Fat!"

Fat tummy or complaints of stomach fat may be one of the early signs of anorexia or another eating disorder. How does body image distortion, or media influences, affect the way anorexics see their bodies?

Eating disorders and anorexia in teenage girls (or boys) is becoming a serious problem. I know for sure that I would not want to be a teenager these days!

Back in the early and mid 1980's when I was in high school, we had very little (if any) serious issues with the kind of teasing that kids nowadays have to face. We didn't even worry much about it because it wasn't nearly as severe or physically dangerous.

In fact, I don't ever recall my disordered eating as having been influenced by teasing, magazine pictures of anorexia nervosa, or even idolizing famous people with anorexia.

It's a very different world out there now, and it only seems to be getting worse.

Who Says You've Got A "Fat Tummy"? - The Pressure To Be Thin

My friend's daughter came home from school one day and stated that she had a fat tummy. The pressure to be thin is truly getting out of control. This child is only 6 years old!

Where on earth would she get this idea? I personally believe that there's more going on in the schools, and on the playground than most of us adults care to admit.

Teasing has been an issue since practically the beginning of time. It can have lasting emotional effects on kids, but in the past decade or so, even this seems to have escalated. Now they call it bullying.

Teen Bullying, Child Bullying - Comparing Yourself To Others

Teen bullying and child bullying are major concerns in this day and age. The effects of bullying are long-lasting and sometimes even physically harmful.

Teenagers and young children are scared to death of getting a "fat tummy" and are being bullied into thinness. (Note To Kids - Don't be comparing yourself to others!)

It's likely that bullies are confronting other children and forcing them to be compared to everyone else. There's no individuality. According to them, 'thin is in'.

I actually know of one case where a young girl was threatened by classmates - that if she didn't get rid of her "muffin-top tummy", they would beat her up and not be her friend anymore.

Immature kid stuff, but frightening nonetheless. It needs to be taken seriously.

Diet Ads - Media Influences On Eating Disorders

Diet ads are just one of the media influences on eating disorders. They're a huge problem for disordered eaters, even after treatment.

They seem to send this subliminal message that your so-called fat belly is too much and it's always possible to lose just a little more weight.

There are legitimate reasons for the promotion of weight loss, but unfortunately for those with eating disorders, it's just one more thing that we need to learn to live with.

It's interesting to notice that a large number of media advertising - even television commercials - focuses on stomach fat or the abs area.

This could be one of the reasons why people (even kids) believe that they have a "fat tummy". It could also be enough to push someone over the edge into the development of anorexia or another eating disorder.

Now if our children weren't watching so much TV these days... but that's a whole other topic...

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