Teenagers worry a lot about their looks and their weight. It is important to try to accept yourself and others the way you are, and realize that there is no such thing as a perfect body. Physical activity and healthy eating are the best approaches to weight worries. Skipping meals doesn't work!
Eating disorders are on the increase in Canadian teenage girls. Boys can also develop eating disorders - up to one out of every ten people with an eating disorder is male. People who have eating disorders are preoccupied and dissatisfied with their body size, and have a strong need to control weight. Often, people who have eating disorders will have noticeable weight loss and/or have frequent weight fluctuations. They will idealize thinness and believe strongly that their self-worth depends on having a certain body size. Sometimes they will engage in extreme limits on eating, self-induced vomiting, drug use and compulsive exercise.
Getting help is really important because eating disorders can cause severe damage to the body. Learn more, and talk to your doctor or health professional. If you are concerned about a friend, be supportive and encourage them to get professional help.
More info is available from: National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC), http://www.nedic.ca/