8
eating disorders Panther Prowler • March 28, 2022
Manas Khatore Prowler Alumni Jessica Zhou Prowler Alumni Josie Gardner Staff Writer
As modern media has evolved, teenagers across the world have adopted a negative mindset about body image. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), an eating disorder will affect at least 28.8 million people in America, totaling to about 9 percent of the population. The stigma around eating disorders has made it difficult for people to feel comfortable speaking out about their struggle in fear of sounding like they want attention instead of needing help.
Gwen Buchanan Back Cover Editor Reese Kelem Chief Photographer Kai Mekari Editorial Editor
Emerson Fuentes-Alabanza/Prowler for all graphics
Standards from Sports In the sports world, it is a common occurrence that athletes try to fit the stereotypical convention of an athletic body, even if that pushes them towards unhealthy eating patterns. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), over a third of female athletes competing in Division 1 of the NCAA reported symptoms of anorexia, with similar patterns being found in male athletes. Many sports, such as wrestling and running, place an implicit or explicit emphasis on diet and weight requirements, perpetuating the harmful idea that one has to adopt extreme eating habits to achieve optimal performance. Apala Bhunia, senior, struggles with an eating disorder that has affected her relationship with swimming, a sport that requires a lot of endurance. She felt that the competitive environment of the program pressured her to
change her body. “The coaches would care more about our times, and whether we were fast enough or not. Being a bigger woman surrounded by, you know, a lot of people who had the typical swimmer body, it was a lot of pressure, and I felt like my body kept me slow, even though it didn’t,” Bhunia said. According to the NEDA, a risk factor for eating disorders in athletes is the belief that a lower body weight leads to better performance. Kian Alamir, an NPHS graduate and weightlifter, emphasizes that in reality, successful athletes have varying body sizes. “Different positions require different body types,” Alamir said. “I also think that we have to understand that peak performance and being good at the sport really doesn’t have much to do with how you look to be honest… people with all different body types can perform at an extremely high level.”
Eating disorders can be a hard topic to talk about; for a lot of people, it is hard to know when one is struggling, making it more difficult to ask for help when needed. Melanie Masson, girls basketball coach, used to struggle with an eating disorder and felt like they didn’t have someone they could talk to at first. “I didn’t feel comfortable going to someone of the opposite sex, who, you know, didn’t necessarily think the way that I thought,” Masson said. Professionals believe that it is important for athletes to have an environment that contributes positive attitudes toward body size and shape. Masson agrees with this, stressing the importance of having a support system. “Find someone that you can even just vent out to, whether it’s going to therapy, going to your parents, or going to your friend who you know won’t judge you. But you know, who will also kind of [encourage] you,” Masson said.
Adalia Luo/Prowler
