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Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Katharine McPhee

The week of February 24 - March 1, 2008 marks National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, so Kidzworld has put together a list of facts you should remember the next time you start freaking out about your body.

Stop Trying to Look Like Celebrities

There are three billion women who don't look like supermodels and only eight who do.
The models in magazines are airbrushed - no one, not even models, look that good without some help!
Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14 and is still considered one of the most beautiful women in history.
If Barbie was a real woman, she'd she would be six feet tall and weigh 100 lbs!
If female mannequins were real women, they'd be too thin to have babies.
The average American woman is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 pounds. The average American model is 5'11" tall and weighs 117 pounds. Most fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women.
A psychological study in 1995 found that three minutes spent looking at a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty and shameful of their bodies.

Some Scary Stats

42% of first to third grade girls want to be thinner.
81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat.
51% of nine and 10 year-old girls feel better about themselves if they are on a diet.
Without treatment, up to 20% of people with serious eating disorders die. With treatment, that number falls to 2-3%.
About 50% of people who have been anorexic develop bulimia or bulimic patterns.

Click here to check out some great resources on eating disorders.