SCOFFquestionnaire about eating disorders

I honestly think that we as teachers can  help if not to solve eating disorders ( because it is proved  taht  these are complex issues), at least to  detect them  at the  begining or to prevent them. Here are 5 questions that we can use in our classes:

SCOFF questionnaire:

1. Do you ever make yourself sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
2. Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?
3. Have you recently lost more than one kilo in a three month period?
4. Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?
5. Would you say that food dominates your life?

These are really interesting questions which spur us to think about this topic. At first we can practice with ourselves and answer them honestly. In a society where slimness is prized, it is easy to answer at least one of these questions in a positive way. In my case, I only will say that if asked a long time ago, I would have answered with "yes" in 4 out of the 5 questions.

One of the most caracteristic symptoms of anorexia is to believe that you are fatter than the real thing. This misperception can seriously damage our self-esteem. Let's help our students to acquire a good perception of  themselves and to be satisfied with their bodies. It could be a very good start to fight against anorexia and bulimia.

SOME ALARMING SIGNS TO DETECT AN EATING DISORDER

* First of all, let's watch the video

Around 60 percent of teenagers show some kind of behaviour associated with eating disorders; the question is to know how to discriminate which are hiding an eating disorder.

1. Excessive dieting
2. Excessive exercice
3. Withdrawing from friends and isolate themselves
4. Fasting
5. Hiding food

*Let's watch now this video about the same topic:

In some cases of anorexia, teenagers usually avoid common meals with the family. In bulimia, some  people spend a lot of time in the bathroom or exercice too much to burn more calories than  necessary.

*And finally, let's watch this video

The return to school after holidays is a stressful period and children could have some eating disorders. Statistics show that the majority of eating disorders develop while they are still at school. If there are alarming sings, the best thing to do is to seek help.

What Are Symptoms of Eating Disorders in Teens?

Symptoms of eating disorders may include the following:

• A distorted body image
• Skipping most meals
• Unusual eating habits (such as eating thousands of calories at one meal or skipping meals)
• Frequent weighing
• Extreme weight change
• Insomnia
• Constipation
• Skin rash or dry skin
• Dental cavities
• Erosion of tooth enamel
• Loss of hair or nail quality
• Hyperactivity and high interest in exercise

Teens with eating disorders are often in denial that anything is wrong. They may be moody, anxious, depressed. They may withdraw from friends, and become overly sensitive to criticism. The problem arises when parents are not aware of these symptoms because the teen keeps them hidden -- just like the trauma, insecurities, depression, or low self-esteem that may help trigger the disorder.

What Are Eating Disorders?

    Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, are psychological disorders that involve extreme disturbances in eating behavior. A teen with anorexia refuses to stay at a normal body weight. Someone with bulimia has repeated episodes of binge eating followed by compulsive behaviors such as vomiting or the use of laxatives to rid the body of food. Binge eating is characterized by uncontrolled overeating.

      Anorexia nervosa affects as many as one in every 100 females. Teens with anorexia fear gaining weight and are at least 15% below their ideal body weights. They believe the main gauge of self-worth is their body image.

     Experts believe many American girls are bulimic and have kept the problem a secret. Bulimia often starts in the late teens and early adulthood. People with bulimia go through cycles of eating enormous amounts of foods followed by purging by vomiting, using laxatives, or diuretics or hours of aerobic exercise.

Look at this circle

Warning signs of bulimia include:

• Extreme preoccupation about being overweight
• Strict dieting followed by high-calorie eating binges
• Overeating when distressed
• Feeling out of control
• Disappearing after a meal
• Depressed moods
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Frequent use of laxatives or diuretics
• Excessive exercising
• Irregular menstrual cycles
• Because of vomiting and the use of laxatives, there are serious consequences in the body

The most important thing we can do as teachers is to help our students to love themselves, to accept their own bodies and be proud of them because everyone is priceless