Are girls today more, or less, likely to develop eating disorders now than ten or twenty years ago?
I think more. Expectations are rising for girls. Many families focus on success, which boils down to appearance and achievement. Girls who are under a lot of pressure about their looks, grades, or sports but don’t have a lot of emotional support are eating disorders waiting to happen. Are there particular ages at which a girl is most likely to have an eating disorder? Yes, there are two main stages of life that are danger zones. The first is when a girl is 12 or 13 and entering puberty. The second is when she begins college. She has left her family, and she compensates for the separation by trying to control her food. We’ve been talking a lot about girls. What about guys? Do they get eating disorders? Yes, they do, but not as much as girls. But I think it’s going to rise soon. More and more men are moving toward body building, exercise, and body sculpting. Plus men tend to be more overweight. Add these up and you get someone who’s likely to struggle with food. How do I know if a friend
