WELLBEING
back and forward from the kitchen to get more . Either way , it is a concern .
I would say , ‘ I have noticed that you ’ re regularly doing this ’ or ‘ I ’ ve noticed you ’ re not nourishing yourself . I wonder what else is going on ? I wonder what really is bothering you ? Is there anything you would like to say to us ?’ In my experience people who are using food in these ways may be trying to make themselves feel better about something .
By starting an initial conversation like that , we can start to find out what is happening and show them we are aware of the issue . That ’ s not a difficult conversation for staff to have – sometimes staff might shy away from these conversations for fear of putting their foot in it . But that ’ s a fairly easy way in .’
What are the dangers of ‘ clean eating ’ and ‘ healthy eating ’ messages in schools ?
Another issue rearing its head in schools and boarding schools is a current obsession with ‘ clean eating ’ ( Wilson , 2017 ), fuelled by beautiful Instagram influencers posting snaps of their photogenic poke bowls and smoothies .
It is important for teachers and staff who work with children to be aware of the potential line between ‘ healthy eating ’ and ‘ orthorexia ’, an unhealthy obsession with eating only healthy food ( McGregor , 2017 ). With the best will in the world , teachers and school staff can unwittingly pass on damaging messages about food , exercise and health . How many times have you heard these kinds of words out of the mouths of teachers ?
‘ I ’ m going to be naughty and eat a biscuit .’
‘ I ’ ve gone vegan for health reasons – so I ’ ve made sure there are lots of vegan options for dinner .’
‘ I need to get my step count up to earn this !’
Some people may feel some or all of these sound like normal parlance ; some may be horrified . Bernie Wright is unequivocal – teachers should not be having conversations about their own choices regarding food , weight and shape with students .
What is the potential impact of ‘ clean eating ’ on teenagers ?
Harley Street child and adolescent dietitian Ana-Kristina Skrapac is highly concerned about the effect of the highly popularised ‘ clean eating ’ on young people . ‘ The clean-eating message is about avoiding certain foods , implying you will feel cleaner by following the diet , and that ’ s not useful language for impressionable young people , whether girls or boys . It ’ s promoting veganism , which is fine if you ’ re an adult past growing stage , and if you ’ re informed and going to supplement your diet in the necessary ways . But if you ’ re a young teenager , you ’ re probably just going to hang on to a few messages . The young people I see in clinic , who have experimented with clean eating , all struggle to meet their nutritional needs and seem to use it as a way to restrict their intake or avoid foods .’
Orthorexia is another disease common to highachieving , academically successful young people and sufferers report higher levels of issues of dissatisfaction with body image and a need for perfection . Those with orthorexic tendencies significantly correlated with higher scores for perfectionism ( Barnes and Caltabiano , 2017 ). This is another reason why teachers and boarding staff in highly academic settings should be mindful of this , relatively newly recognised , illness .
The friends of those suffering with eating disorders are also at risk ; studies suggest eating disorders can be contagious , especially in group social settings such as schools and boarding schools ( Allison et al , 2014 ).
What should we prioritise in our schools to create a healthier culture ?
Wright offers some insight into how schools should address this highly important issue and deal with a potentially unhealthy culture .
‘ I think talking about eating disorders is not necessarily the answer . A sufferer or potential sufferer will not necessarily be listening to the talk on anorexia or the talk on bulimia .
In schools , I believe we should be focusing more on managing anxiety , building self-esteem , building resilience . As far as I can see , anxiety is the biggest problem in young people now . And that has a huge impact on my work in the eating disorders space .’
It is clear that thought and time should be spent by schools , pastoral teams and teachers considering the widespread nature and potential impact of eating disorders in their settings .
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