John Prescott admits bulimia

Level 3 Advanced

1 Key words

Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text.

disorder overwhelming confess stigma revelation

high-profile forthcoming consultant gorge memoirs

1. A _______________ is a feeling that something is wrong or embarrassing in some way.

2. If you write your _______________, you write an autobiographical account of your experiences.
3. If a publication is _______________, it is going to appear soon.
4. A _______________ person is often seen in public, mentioned in the newspapers and appears
on television.
5. If you _______________ to something about yourself, you admit to it, even though it might be embarrassing
and you would not normally tell other people about it.
6. A _______________ is an illness or medical condition.
7. A _______________ is a senior doctor who specializes in a particular area of medicine.
8. An _______________ feeling is one that is so strong that you cannot think or behave normally.
9. A _______________ is the admission of something that was previously hidden or secret.
10. If you _______________ on something, you eat so much of it that you cannot eat any more.

2 What do you know?

Decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F). Then check your answers in the text.

1. Bulimia and anorexia are both eating disorders.

2. Bulimia and anorexia are the same thing.

3. It is quite common for middle-aged and elderly men to suffer from eating disorders.

4. More men than women suffer from eating disorders.

5. 80% of people suffering from eating disorders are aged between 12 and 20.

6. More than one million people in Britain suffer from eating disorders.
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NEWS LESSONS / John Prescott admits bulimia / Advanced

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John Prescott admits bulimia
Level 3 Advanced
‘I took refuge in stuffing my face...’
John Prescott admits bulimia
• Eating disorder experts praise ‘brave’ confession
• Former deputy PM blames stress for binge eating
Sam Jones
April 21, 2008
1 The former deputy prime minister of the United
Kingdom, John Prescott, has been praised by
medical experts for his ‘brave’ admission that
he struggled with the eating disorder bulimia for
two decades. In his forthcoming autobiography,
Prescott reveals that the stress of political
life led him to seek comfort in food and then
force himself to throw up. He says he began
suffering from bulimia in the 1980s, when the
pressure of being in the Labour shadow cabinet
became overwhelming. He battled the condition
throughout his time in government, gorging on
burgers, chocolate, crisps and fish and chips. But
he now says he has been free of the problem for
more than a year.
2 “I’m sure it was to do with stress,” he wrote in the
Sunday Times, which is to serialize his memoirs.
“I wasn’t doing it all the time, and there would
be gaps of weeks and months, but during those
years when we first got into power, I let things get
on top of me and took refuge in stuffing my face.”
He added: “I’ve never confessed it before. Out
of shame, I suppose, or embarrassment – or just
because it’s such a strange thing for someone
like me to confess to. People normally associate
it with young women – anorexic girls, models
trying to keep their weight down, or women in
stressful situations, like Princess Diana.”
3 He also revealed how he would turn to sweet
things and Chinese food when things became
stressful. “I could drink a whole tin of condensed
milk, just for the taste, stupid things like that. I still
love trifles; they’re one of my favourites. I can eat
them forever. Whenever I go to Mr Chu’s in Hull,
my favourite Chinese restaurant in the whole world
... I could eat my way through the entire menu.”
4 Although Prescott tried to hide the illness from
his wife, she realized what was going on. “The
© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2008
NEWS LESSONS / John Prescott admits bulimia / Advanced
signs in the toilet gave it away, and all the
missing food.” She urged him to see a doctor
and a consultant eventually diagnosed him with
bulimia. “I turned up and found his waiting room
full of young women. I was the only man there. I
felt a right twerp. Luckily none of them shopped
me to the press.” In the book, he also reveals
that, despite preferring food to alcohol, he would
occasionally drink to relieve the stress and to let
people know how low he was feeling.
5 “Once or twice a year, when I was absolutely
knackered, I did get out a bottle of vodka and
place it on my desk. The office hated it when they
saw what was happening. They knew I’d go at it
full pelt, as I always do with anything, and empty
the bottle. But that was very rare.” Prescott, who
resigned as deputy prime minister last June and
will retire as an MP at the next election, is now
supporting a National Health Service campaign
to raise awareness of eating disorders.
6 The eating disorder support charity Beat said
Prescott’s decision to speak out had shown
considerable courage. “It will help other people
to realize that men can be affected by eating
disorders, and you can get help and treatment
– even if you have been ill for a very long
time,” said the charity’s chief executive, Susan
Ringwood. “It is a brave thing to do because
people do feel ashamed of themselves and find it
really hard even to tell close family members.”
7 Although girls and young women aged between
12 and 20 account for 80% of new cases of
eating disorders, boys and men are also affected.
“It is probably under-diagnosed – even a doctor
doesn’t necessarily think it can affect a boy or a
man,” said Ringwood. “Anybody could have this
condition, including people who are in the public
eye,” she said. “People absolutely shouldn’t be
ashamed. We need to get past that huge stigma
that is associated with an eating disorder.”
8 Dr Ty Glover, a consultant psychiatrist and
expert on eating disorders, described Prescott’s
revelation as “a hugely brave and courageous
thing”. He added: “It’s hard enough for a young
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John Prescott admits bulimia
Level 3 Advanced

girl to confess to, but for a high-profile male 9 There are thought to be more than one million
politician approaching 70, it’s especially people in Britain with an eating disorder such as
impressive.” Glover said he had never before bulimia or anorexia, 90% of whom are women.
come across a man of Prescott’s age with
bulimia. “It seriously makes me think that maybe © Guardian News & Media 2008
we’re completely missing a whole audience First published in The Guardian, 21/04/08
of middle-aged men who are too scared to
admit they have a problem. “John’s bravery will
hopefully encourage more men to stop suffering
in silence and come forward to seek treatment.”

3 Comprehension check

Choose the best answer according to the text.

1. Why might people think it strange for a 70-year old politician to confess to suffering from bulimia?
a. Because politicians normally never confess to anything.
b. Because people might think he wasn’t being serious.
c. Because people normally associate bulimia with young women.

2. What, in his view, was the cause of his eating disorder?

a. He was constantly hungry.
b. He was under a lot of stress in his job.
c. The fact that he likes sweet things.

3. Why is his decision to confess to suffering from bulimia described as ‘brave’?

a. Because sufferers often feel ashamed of themselves and find it hard to tell other people.
b. Because it is embarrassing for a man to suffer from a disease associated with women.
c. Because the treatment is difficult and sometimes unpleasant.

4. According to the consultant psychiatrist, how many middle-aged men are suffering from bulimia?
a. A few.
b. A lot.
c. An unknown number.
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John Prescott admits bulimia
Level 3 Advanced
4 Find the word
Look in the text and find the following words and expressions.
1. A verb meaning to fight against. (para 1)
2. A verb meaning to publish in a series of separate parts. (para 2)
3. A three-word expression meaning to behave in a way that makes you feel more comfortable in an unpleasant
situation. (para 2)
4. An informal three-word expression meaning to fill yourself with food until you can’t eat any more. (para 2)
5. An informal word for a stupid person. (para 4)
6. An informal verb meaning to inform the police or someone in authority about someone who has done something
wrong; to betray. (para 4)
7. An informal adjective meaning very tired. (para 5)
8. A three word expression meaning as quickly as possible. (para 5)

5 Nouns and adjectives

Complete the table.
noun adjective
1 courage
2 brave
3 embarrassed
4 stress
5 anorexia
6 aware

6 Phrasal verbs

Match the verbs with the definitions.

1. account for a. to start to use something in an attempt to help yourself when you are having
difficulty dealing with a situation
2. throw up b. to meet someone or find something by chance
3. speak out c. to be the reason why something exists or happens
4. keep down d. to provide information that should be kept secret
5. turn to e. to control something and prevent it from increasing in size or number
6. give away f. to arrive somewhere without making a firm arrangement
7. turn up g. to vomit
8. come across h. to state your opinion firmly and publicly about something.

6 Discussion
Do you agree with the theory that images of super-thin models are responsible for anorexia and bulimia in
young girls and women? What other factors might lead to eating disorders?
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NEWS LESSONS / John Prescott admits bulimia / Advanced

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John Prescott admits bulimia
Level 3 Advanced

KEY

1 Key words 4 Find the word

1. stigma 1. battle
2. memoirs 2. serialize
3. forthcoming 3. take refuge in
4. high-profile 4. stuff one’s face
5. confess 5. twerp
6. disorder 6. shop
7. consultant 7. knackered
8. overwhelming 8. at full pelt
9. revelation
10. gorge
5 Nouns and adjectives

2 What do you know? 1. courageous

2. bravery
1. T 3. embarrassment
2. F 4. stressful
3. F 5. anorexic
4. F 6. awareness
5. T
6. T
6 Phrasal verbs

3 Comprehension check 1. c
2. g
1. c 3. h
2. b 4. e
3. a 5. a
4. c 6. d
7. f
8. b
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