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I TheBannerflheEra WELLNESS Thursday March FINDING STREUGTH IN AN IMAGECONSCIOUS WORLD Seeds of eating disorder sown at young age The girls look confident and casual with their hoodies salt stained boots and frequent guffaws of laughter No body image Are their clothes up to snuff Will their hair shoes and attitude pass muster with the popular kids at school What about that roll of fat around the waist The legs r too big too thin In this media laden world of youth how young at about Grade according to these students taking part in the Girls club at Walter Scott Public School in Rich Hill Girls want to Impress the guys but you want to impress the girls too because if someone wears expensive clothes and works out and looks good you want to try to be friends will them Grade 7 student Mosey explains If the popular kid wears expensive clothes you want to get expensive clothes too even if you cant afford it classmate Santhu Shankar adds Its just pressure after pressjire after pressure and theres enough out there to The non profit agency has expanded its programming reach out to younger stu dents before they succumb to body image director disorders affecting boys at youngei needs to start early before problems begin Hie organization is forging tics with Girls a Newmarket non profit group that seeks empower girls ft has expanded pro grams from Us current ThomhillRichmond Hill base to include programs for all ages and genders starting this month in Keswick Newmarket and The group hhs stepped up presentauons in York Region schools and has produced a worried by what they say is eaUng disorders in youth Asth moves into yonngcr age groups potential for more serious long looks youth and leader says It just pressure after pressure good enough group eating Paulino the WHERE TO TURM A Regional Health Centre in Newmarket is regarded as a leader in the field Its program is open to youth 13 to in York Region and ate referred by a physician Visit org or tall Eating Disorders Region offers support groups for individuals families and friends in Richmond Hill St and at three fordetails call 8866632 or visit rls Inc of York Reg on is a profit organization offenng programs for girls four to and their families Call that SO not wOrth worrying since you re Really She assures the girls its fine 10 have Everything in moderation she a boys genuine with York Region was in throwing up lb pleading nothing We need to renumber this is not sister reached the end of her banle She died 19B9 Much has changed since then hospitals such as So Regional Health Centre offer programs dedicated its treat mem But beds and counseling are soil Band Aids Ms Thompson says We to the ruiiE to 1 i age group where were seeing things start hen school and science and math anymore land they re PARENTS Eating dls6fders are a complex but experts say prevention is key Here what parents can your children Studies link an increase in family dinners to adeoease in loss behaviours listen Encourage to talk about the r emotion Ease off the pressure Parental criticism of a child weght and modeling of dieting is associated with rates of dieting and extreme dieting among youth Promote selfesteem Compliment your childs abilities rather than physical attributes flvltyShd Consult an expert if you see warning signs Excessive concern weight shape and caloriejfi take unusual mock changes change in weight rigid exercise regimes of certain footls and halt in me Region status appearance girls Her sis club die girls are quick to they don measure up from legs nostrils 100 small bought her its important 1 re key help