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Wednesdsay May 12, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A5 Body image report gets mixed reviews at Region B y Irene G e n tle SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER A report on self-esteem and body image barely squeezed by Halton Region's health and social services com m ittee last week after some council­ lors found its message a little thin. Obesity is a bigger problem than body image and eating disorders, argued Burlington Councillor Jack Dennison, who owns a health club. "Is it true that in North America one of the biggest problem s we have with children is the increase in obesity? This report is saying to me it's okay to be obese," said Dennison. A 200-strong caseload over the past year for the eating disorders program at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital has proved that eating disor­ ders are a problem in Halton, said M ary Forhan, an occupational therapist at the hospital. "W e're extremely overwhelmed. This told us there's a strong need for preventative measures in our region," she said. Forman appeared before com mittee to present the report, compiled by the Body Image Network of Halton. The report was for information purposes only. Schools should be encouraged to com e up with policies dealing with bullying, teasing and sexual harassment, the report suggested. Size acceptance is another goal the eating dis­ orders team is hoping to get into schools. The report also recommends encouraging par­ ents, teachers and other role models to promote positive body image messages to children. That message is not getting into schools now, said Sara Schleien, a student at Georgetown District High School. "I've seen girls skipping lunch to save calo­ ries," she said. "I've seen girls switching meals for cigarettes to keep thin." Council should be prom oting fitness, not just self-acceptance, said Dennison. "We should never, ever be doing anything that says it's okay to be fat," he said. "You have a major health crisis in North America." The report is not promoting self-esteem at the expense o f health, said Forhan. "W e're certainly not saying we should lead sedentary lives and eat whatever we want regard­ less o f medical consequences," she said. "W e're promoting not basing how w e're going to eat or not eat on our body shape." Since about 40% of body shape is genetically determined, its important for youths to understand they may never achieve what is considered the ideal figure, said Forhan. Other problems outweigh the issue of self­ esteem and eating disorders, said Burlington Councillor Linda Schreiber. 'T h ere 's no question in my mind that everyone should have good self-esteem, but w e've come a- long way since Twiggy," she said. "I'm more con­ cerned about obesity, suicide and drug abuse in teenagers than I am anorexia or bulimia." Anorexia and bulimia stack up as the third biggest health problem am ong youths, said Forhan, edged out only by obesity and asthma. Anorexia carries a death rate o f 20%, she said. As the father o f a pre-teenage daughter, Milton Councillor Rick M alboeuf threw his support behind the report. Halton Hills Councillor John Day also used his experience with a daughter who once fainted at school to back it. "The principal told me that people were saying she wasn't eating. This is the girl we were sending off to school with lunch every day," he said. "Her preoccupation at the time was with dancer's legs." Halton Chair Joyce Savoline said she also went through a frightening stage with her daughter. "I really do believe this is an urgent issue and what makes it urgent is the way society is today," she said. "I lived through this hell with my daugh­ ter when she was younger." Savoline said she can recall her daughter being ridiculed for her size even though she was never heavy. "My daughter at 25 has Cindy what's-her- name (Crawford) on the fridge even though she's never going to look like that," she said. "Somehow these messages have stuck with her." Genetics do play a part in a person's shape, said Oakville M ayor Ann Mulvale. "I'm growing into exactly what my grand­ mother was," she said. "We're trying to help peo­ ple get good information." Mulvale said she has seen the damage eating disorders can do to teens. "I've had friends' kids in Oakville Trafalgar (hospital) because they're starving," she said. Everything from media influence to adult role modeling has an effect on body image in teens, said Forhan. "There is size prejudice happening in our school system," she said. "We need to get in earli­ er and promote healthy body images." C a th o l ic B o a rd la u n c h e s a w a r d s The Special E d u c a t i o n A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e (S.E.A.C.) of the Halton Catholic District School Board has inaugu­ rated its first annual "Spirit of Inclusion" Award. E x p l a i n s S.E.A.C. chair, S t e v e n Kovalchek, o f the Easter Seal Society," the intent o f this new "Spirit o f Inclusion" Award is to increase the c o m m u n i t i e s understanding and awareness of spe­ cial needs stu­ dents in our schools and to prom ote an all- inclusive board and school popu­ lation. It is not intended to be an award for recogni­ tion." Teachers and support staff from all o f the board's schools were invited to submit nominations of students from Grades 1 to O.A.C. level, who dem onstrated a com m itm ent to school activities, excellent attitude and spirit in deal­ ing with chal­ lenges and who causes others to be valued and included. Each year, this award will be pre­ sented to one ele­ mentary student and one sec­ ondary student. The first recip­ ients o f the "Spirit o f Inclusion" Award will be announced and honoured at the S.E.A.C. meeting on Monday, May 17th, at 7:30 p.m. in the Trustees Meeting Room of the B oard's C a t h o l i c Education Centre, . 802 Drury Lane, Burlington. jgDfc The Board of Directors the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) of Halton is pleased to invite CCAC you to attend an O P E N B O A R D M E E T IN G M a y 1 9 , 1 9 9 9 4 : 3 0 p . m . t o 6 : 0 0 p . m . R o y a l C a n a d i a n L e g i o n 1 5 W r i g h t A v e n u e A c t o n , O N L 7 J 2 .T 7 H IG H LIG H TS O F A G E N D A Halton-Peel District Health Council Annual District Service Plan -1999/2000 Elizabeth Martin Long-Term Care Planner CCAC of Halton Budget Highlights -1999/2000 Sandra Snadwick Chief Executive Officer For further information, call: Linda Ferras at (905) 639-5228 ext. 8921 or if long distance dial 1-800-810-0000 Future meeting dates and locations to be announced. 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