Eating disorders continue to be a societal challenge as youngsters try to meet unhealthy expectations
Imagine a world where emotional pain was visible, but no one paid any attention to the bleeding wounds. This sounds unthinkable, yet it is the reality we live in every day. In South Africa, one in four teenage girls is estimated to suffer from an eating disorder.
A 2021 study reported that 22% of adolescent females in Johannesburg bear the burden of disordered eating, while 9% of adolescent males are similarly affected. Society often reinforces unrealistic body standards for young people, leading them to believe and internalise these as ‘normal’ expectations.
Instead of expressing concern at potential warning signs of eating disorders and unhealthy relationships with food, mainstream global media continues to normalise these patterns. They hold up painfully thin icons of popular culture as examples to emulate.
Eating disorders are not confined to any single demographic. They are increasing across all racial and socioeconomic groups, thriving in a culture that often fails to recognise the silent suffering. One of the greatest barriers to seeking treatment for eating disorders is this lack of recognition.
The warning signs are frequently dismissed, or worse, praised as positive traits. Children are often commended for their discipline when they follow rigid meal plans or exercise obsessively. A competitive sports culture encourages young people to push their bodies beyond healthy limits, while concerns about restrictive food choices or aesthetic weight loss are comparatively deafening in their silence.
Many parents unknowingly reinforce disordered habits through their own orthorexic behaviours, which include obsessing over so-called ‘clean’ eating, equating thinness with health or making dieting a family activity.
A struggle expressed
The truth about eating disorders is that they are not about vanity, food or even weight. They are manifestations of deep psychological wounds – unprocessed trauma, emotional distress and unmet needs that manifest as obsessive behaviours. Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) all carry the same underlying message: an individual who is struggling to express pain in any other way.
The South African Journal of Science highlights that these illnesses are too often seen as personal choices rather than the complex mental health conditions they truly are. This common misconception prevents people from receiving the help they need, allowing the disorder to tighten its grip on their lives.
The focus must be extended beyond those who are actively struggling with eating disorders to challenge the societal norms that normalise disordered behaviours. There needs to be a reconsideration regarding what it truly means to be healthy and recognise the fine line between encouragement and obsession. Families need to look at themselves with fresh eyes, or we could be unknowingly reinforcing harmful habits.
Text | Marlene van den Berg
Photography | New Africa
Marlene van den Berg is a therapeutic programme manager and occupational therapist at Netcare Akeso Montrose Manor.
For more information, go to akeso.co.za.
Recognising eating disorders
Symptoms of eating disorders vary but often include:
- Drastic changes in eating habits, such as severe restriction, binge eating or secretive food behaviours.
- Avoidance of social situations involving food leads to isolation.
- Obsession with body size, shape and weight is often coupled with excessive exercise.
- Physical symptoms include extreme weight fluctuations, dizziness, hair loss and digestive issues.
- Emotional distress, including depression, anxiety and feelings of inadequacy.
