Over 10,000 deaths each year are the result of eating disorders, making it one of the deadliest epidemics to date; only second to drug abuse. Young girls and boys are constantly bombarded with images of overly edited instagram models, workout tips and the overarching needs of their peers to be “pretty”. In today’s age, kids are glued to social media 24/7, constantly absorbing every image and comment that comes their way, including those surrounding the topic of disordered eating and self image.
Aesthetic sports like gymnastics, swimming, cheerleading and competitive dance have beat diet culture into young kids’ heads, telling them they need to be the thinnest they can be to be seen as “acceptable”. It wasn’t until recently that really anything has been done on a larger scale to help combat these disorders. Many adults still struggle with their body image, and many of times pass their issues onto their children; creating a never ending cycle.
Our photos are to show the signs of someone who may be struggling with some of these issues, (calorie counting, excessive weighing and obsessively checking social media). While not everyone who struggles shows the same signs, these are a few that go completely overlooked by friends and family as their seen as “harmless”, when in reality, they’re far from it.
