Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1459407
12 Unity SUNDAY 13 MARCH 2022 Eating disorders James Debono MaltaToday 39% of teens aged between 15 and 17 are sometimes making themselves throw up when they feel uncomfort- ably full, a survey on eating disorders conducted by statistician Vincent Marmara for the Faculty for Social Wellbeing reveals. The survey also shows that re- spondents aged under 50 and living in the southern districts were twice more likely to make themselves throw up when feeling full, than those living in northern districts. Overall, the survey shows that teens and women are the most likely to have a problematic relationship with food. Slightly over half of Maltese wom- en aged under 50 and nearly two- thirds of teens aged 15-17 say that "food dominates their life". In contrast, less than 35% of men and 38% of 18-30 year-olds, say that food dominates their life. Moreover 46% of teens aged 15- 17 and 39% of women believe that "they are fat, even though others say that you are too thin". In contrast, only 29% of men and 31% of those aged between 31-40 think likewise. The concern with body image is much higher in the more cosmopolitan and diverse north harbour region (41%) than in the more rural Gozo (17%). And while 42% of all respondents worry that they have lost control over how much they eat, the per- centage rises to 50% among women and to 64% among teens. More than a quarter of the re- spondents know someone who has been diagnosed with an eating dis- order (26.6%). Moreover, 2.9% of the respondents said that either themselves or a close family mem- ber is diagnosed with an eating dis- order. Significantly among those aged 15-17, 11% replied that either them- selves or a close family member is diagnosed with an eating disorder. In this category, 57% report that they know someone suffering from an eating disorder. Significantly, Four in 10 teens Say they make themselves throw up when full Nearly two-thirds of teens and 50% of women say food dominates their life. And 57% of teens know someone who has an eating disorder 64.3% 39.3% 57.1%