Eating Disorder Awareness Week proclaimed

January 28, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Bill Rea
The first week of February will be Eating Disorder Awareness Week in the Town of Caledon.
Town council proclaimed the week at its Jan. 13 meeting .
The motion councillors passed stated that eating disorders are the main cause of death among all psychiatric illnesses, and the third most common cause of death in teenage girls. As well, between five and eight per cent of Canadian girls can expect to develop an eating disorder at some point in their lives.
The motion noted that eating disorders can develop in anyone, no matter their age, race, socio-economic status, gender or ability.
There is also some stigma around these conditions, causing many people with disorders to struggle in silence and not seek help.
The awareness week, which will run from Feb. 1 to 7, is seen as a time to spread the word about these conditions and their impact, and shed light on dangerous myths that surround them.
The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) was founded in 1985, and is Canada’s oldest national organization dedicated to helping people with these problems.
In voting in favour of the proclamation, Councillor Annette Groves observed that most people don’t realize that this is a real and growing problem, as she added more funding is needed to deal with mental health.
Groves also commented on the pressures facing people today, suggesting the Province might be able to come up with more money to enable Caledon Community Services to provide more services.
Mayor Allan Thompson such an effort was made about a year ago at Peel Region.
“I think it needs to be kept on the radar,” Groves replied.