ANOREXIA

Anorexia is a symptom of poor appetite whatever the cause and wanted to starve itself due to over concern about their body shape.  Even in Singapore, we also have quite a high number of anorexia patients. This western affliction has penetrated the land of Singapore throughout the recent years. A report in 2007 indicated that anorexia in Singapore has doubled from 2003. Consistent with western findings, majority are adolescents, over 91% of sufferers are females and 84% are of Chinese ethnicity. Clinicians would point the finger at globalization or westernization in infusing in the young Singaporean minds that slimmer is always more beautiful and being fat is perceived as being lazy and unattractive. Today, adolescents drive themselves to be slim and attractive in various ways: by going to the gym, by increasing the distance they walk, by going through different kinds of diets, and finally by out rightly refusing the intake of food.

However it is still quite shocking to know that children as young as primary 2 already suffer from anorexia. This is very dangerous as children’s metabolism rate is not as high as adults, thus they suffer more than others. One factor could be because the children are expose to topics about being beautiful is equal to slim and tall. Hence they started to exercise and go strict diet. In such cases, parents play a very important role. They should teach their children that being beautiful and looking good does not have to be slim. It should be their inner self that shape what they are. If you feel good, you will look good. This phrase should be in their mind, alerting them that extreme diet is very dangerous and will eventually lead to death.