How are we an overweight nation, when so many teenagers and people suffer from eating disorders?

Question

Statistics keep being issued telling us all to loose weight, but there are so many people suffering with eating disorders. How is this possible?

Answer 1

I know, it's a complete contradiction. One minute they're saying no more skinny models on catwalks because it gives teenagers a bad impression and gives them eating disorders and the next they're saying that we're all obese.

You can't win!!

Answer 2

You can have an eating disorder and still be overweight. Eating more than whats good for you is an eating disorder.
And yes, there is a lot of way to skinny girls. It just seems like you have got two extremes. fat or skinny.
Also there is a massive difference between being skinny and healthy thin. It seems like the whole nation need to be taught the difference, where as in most country's you would know where the line is drawn.

Answer 3

There as so FEW people who have eating disorders (unless you count over-eating as a disorder, in which case there are millions of Brits with eating disorders!!!). 1 in 100 people suffer from anorexia or bulimia, according to recent studies, but 1 in 5 can be classed as overweight.

Answer 4

Sure, there are a bunch of skinny little teenagers but the amount of obese children and adults completely out number them. Take a look at a county fair - just sit back and watch. It is a great sample of 'regular' or 'typical' Americans... and way too many of them are obese.

The problem is that thin kids can become obese, obese kids will most likely stay obese and where does that lead... to a nation of obesity (granted i think that the term obese is tacked on to people way too often and at too low of a weight - but that's beside the point). It really is a disease that must be watched and hopefully eventually cured.

Answer 5

While some people have a medical condition causing obesity, most others suffer not from an eating disorder but sin called " Gluttony".

Answer 6

Because if we were to consider being fat a "eating disorder" which it is, then the majority of Americans suffer from one or the other of the eating disorders. Its a sign of too much stress and an abnormal reliance on food to "satisfy" us.

Answer 7

There are a lot of people suffering from eating disorders but there are a lot more people suffering from obesity.

Answer 8

an exceptionally close relative of mine (no longer gentle sharing this on line) has been clinically determined with melancholy, EDNOS, anorexia, bulimia, in that order. She is now convalescing, yet remains struggling with together with her issues. She has triggers - meals that she won't devour one bite of. She has classes of time the place she workouts for 4 hrs an afternoon. Her medical doctors placed her on Welbutrin for her severe melancholy, however the steroids made her benefit weight, forcing the topic concerns. She observed over 8 psychiatrists/psychologists, dietician. She is now fit than ever, nevertheless.

Answer 9

Because once again the people who do these statistics aren't looking at the whole picture, yes they see that people are increasing the amount of money they spend on junk food, what they aren't seeing is those kids with anorexia throwing it up down the loo to keep themselves thin, they really need to get their fact right and spend more time, effort and money in helping people to lose weight instead of bullying them and whinging at them.

Answer 10

Eating crap is not an "eating disorder", it is self-indulgence, which disease ALWAYS makes people fat.
Stop eating prepared food. Make your own. If you are already fat, try exercising. If you are not fat, put that McDonald's in the garbage and cook a burger for yourself (unless you are in the UK, where you'd probably better stick with ground pork or ground lamb).