Pandemic fuelling rise in eating disorders among young people, B.C. expert says
A growing fourth wave of COVID-19 cases and uncertainties around the new school year could make kids and teens more susceptible to eating disorders, according to one expert.
Registered clinical counsellor Joanna Zelichowska, the manager of Jessie's Legacy, an eating disorder prevention program in North Vancouver, said when the world seems chaotic and uncertain, people can focus on their eating habits and exercise in order to regain a sense of control.
“All the conditions of the pandemic in terms of isolation, uncertainty and increased anxiety are all things that can make people more susceptible to feeling like they need to gain control in their lives,” Zelichowska told CTV Morning Live on Tuesday.
“We’ve seen an increase in folks who already had a susceptibility to eating disorders – and for some folks, this is happening for the first time.”
Warning signs include a focus on eating or movement that is having a negative impact on a young person's life, according to the counsellor. That could mean spending time feeling preoccupied by food choices, or "perhaps not wanting to eat food other people prepared because you're not sure of the nutrient value or the caloric value," Zelichowska said.
An increased amount of screen time and social media during the pandemic has not helped, she added.
“We’re not having that real world comparison of seeing people in everyday life, in their normal messiness. We only see what we call the highlight reel – the really perfected photos – and naturally we’re comparing ourselves against that.”
Zelichowska suggests curating one's social media experience. She said looking at beautifully staged photos of celebrities, models and fitness influencers can make people feel poorly about themselves. Instead, she recommended looking at things that are related to one's hobbies and interests to get a more diverse picture.
And she said parents can help their kids by talking to them in a curious, open and non-judgemental way.
“I always encourage families to zoom out a little bit, not just totally zero in on the food,” said Zelichowska. “Start a conversation with teens about what’s going on in their lives, their stressors and that way you create a place of safety for your kids to share.”
Jessie’s Legacy has developedscre ening tests on its website to help people tell if their focus on food or body image is becoming unhealthy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.