Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are estimated to affect approximately 9% of the Australian population. A

person with an eating disorder may experience long term impairment to social and
functional roles and the impact may include psychiatric and behavioral effects, medical
complications, social isolation, disability and an increased risk of death
- (National Eating Disorders Collaboration, 2015)

Scenario: A student has come to you with concern for her fellow classmate.
She was in the bathroom, when she heard the young girl vomiting in the
cubical next to her. This was not the first time she had heard her friend
unwell. She explains to you how her friend has repeatedly expressed
concerns in regards to wanting to loose weight and look thinner. The young
student feels if she bring up the topic and tries to help, her friend will get
offended and may even end the friend ship.

Obesity

The beliefs that weight and shape are important and that one is overweight
have a strong connection to body dissatisfaction, dieting and low self esteem
in adolescent girls, regardless of the degree of their actual
overweight. (Smolak, 2002, pg 77)

Scenario: A male student in year 7 is morbidly overweight. He

appears tired and disconnected during classes. At Recess and Lunch
the young boy always buys his meals form the school canteen. His
standard lunch consist of greasy, unhealthy meals such as pies, hot
chips, chocolate and sugar filled drinks. He is very shy and generally
hangs out by himself.

Cultural

Body image dissatisfaction was reported by the majority of respondents to the consultation to
affect individuals regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability status, body size and
shape. It was also proposed that although beauty ideals and ways of attaining such ideals can be
vastly different between cultural and ethnic groups, the drive to attain culturally determined
standards of appearance is present across most of society. (YMCA, 2014, pg11.)

Scenario: A young girl has recently moved to your school and is in

year 9. She is Muslim and wears a hijab. She never takes the head
scarf off, even during sport lessons. You have heard some students
talking about the young girls attire, questioning the purpose of the
head scarf and smirking about the fact the young girl is different. You
recognize the new student is starting to notice these remarks and
seems uncomfortable and upset.

Gender

Around 2% of a sample of 22,000 (12-17 year old) students surveyed admitted to using
Anabolic steroids in order to increase their sporting powerless, alter their appearance or
to assist with muscle growth (Dunn 2012).

Scenario: A young adolescent boy is naturally skinny and short. He is

a late developer in comparison to the other boys in his year level.
The young boy often feels weak around his peers, particularly whilst
playing sport. Some of the female in his sports classes are stronger
than him which makes him feel emasculated.

Parental Influence

Parents are uniquely placed in terms of their ability to influence both weight-
related behaviors and psychological outcomes in their children, particularly
during the pre-adolescent years. (Taylor et al. 2011, p.26).

Scenario: A young girl in one of your classes is an avid ballerina. She has
participated in ballet classes outside school since she was three years old.
Her mother prioritizes the dancing discipline before her education, often
pulling her daughter out of school for training and performances purposes.
You have noticed the young girl is starting to appear very frail a thin. You
notice the lunch her mother has packed for her is minimalistic consists of
only strict healthy products. One afternoon you over hear her mother
lecturing the young girl on her weight as she is picking up her daughter form
school to take her to her usual ballet lesson.

Peers and Social Pressures

For both boys and girls, getting along with peers and fear of negative
evaluation by
peers are related directly to physical self-worth. (RAND Corporation, 2014)

Scenario: Your out on yard duty and you notice a girl from the cool
group teasing another female student about their appearance, in
particular her facial features. She also makes comment on the
victims school skirt, as she wears it longer than other students.