Anorexagenic Public Health

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Anorexagenic Public Health?
Justin Thomas, Eric Breton, Serah Theuri Zayed
University UAE
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Eating disorders Obesity

• More helpful to view eating disorders and obesity
  as part of a spectrum of eating and weight
  related problems
• Epidemiology Both increased rapidly over roughly
  the same time period In developed nations this
  is typically traced to the 1960s
• Etiology Both assign socio-cultural factors a
  causal role. The idea of the toxic environment
  e.g. the use of waif-like models to promote the
  consumption of energy-dense high-fat foods.
• Overlap and cross-over Up to 30 of weight loss
  clinic attendees would meet the diagnosis for
  binge eating disorder. Bulimic type purge
  techniques are twice as likely in overweight
  girls

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The fundamental paradox

• The conceptual separation of Eds and obesity
  essentially means that research, intervention and
  prevention also tend to take separate tracks.
• This is problematic for several reasons, but
  especially in the context of prevention
• Preventative initiatives targeting obesity and
  those targeting eating disorders may at times be
  having iatrogenic effects.
• . . . fundamental paradox . . . What is
  diagnosed as disordered eating in thin people is
  what is prescribed for fat people

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Iatrogenesis

• Obesity campaigns will often assume that it is
  appropriate to be unhappy about being overweight,
  they will encourage monitoring and restriction
  and have as their goal the reduction of body
  weight
• Conversely eating disorders campaigns will often
  encourage body size acceptance at any weight
  every body is beautiful and will discourage
  unhealthy dietary practices regardless of weight

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UAE in Focus

• 20 obesity, 38 amongst married women, openly
  viewed as a major public health problem for the
  UAE

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Underweight in the UAE
UK Data from WHO Global Database of Body Mass
Index (Females 19 25 years)
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Dysfunctional Eating in the UAE
Screening for abnormal eating attitudes within
female and high school students in the UAE
reveals comparable levels to western studies
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Eds. Obesity - Integrated Prevention

• Cost effective
• One broader campaign focused on eating and weight
  related problems
• Avoids potential conflicting messages and
  iatrogenic effects
• Makes using anti obesity messages a sham
  rationale for persisting in unhealthy weight-loss
  practices (see pseudo- vegetarianism)
• Strong spiritual and cultural resonance with the
  Quranic injunction
• Eat and drink but not excessively