04-20-2008, 01:39 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Aurally Fixated
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John Prescott tells of bulimia battle
Quote:
Former deputy prime minister John Prescott has confessed to suffering from the eating disorder bulimia.
He writes in the Sunday Times that he used to gorge on food and then vomit. He explains how he could "sup a whole tin of condensed milk", eat trifles "for ever" and eat his way through his favourite Chinese restaurant's menu.
Mr Prescott said he had not previously spoken of the disorder "out of shame", partly because it was associated with women. One cause was stress, he added.
"I've never confessed it before," the 69-year-old explains. "Out of shame, I suppose, or embarrassment or just because it's such a strange thing for someone like me to confess to.
"People normally associate it with young women - anorexic girls, models trying to keep their weight down - or women in stressful situations, like Princess Diana."
Susan Ringwood, chief executive of the eating disorders charity Beat, told Radio 5 Live that bulimia was not only suffered by young women.
She said: "We do know that an eating disorder can affect anyone at any age, it isn't just young girls, it's boys and men as well, so in that sense it wasn't a surprise.
"And neither was it a surprise that someone felt they really needed to keep this a secret, and even say they felt ashamed of themselves.
"And that feeling can stop people getting help."
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Full article here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7357008.stm
I thought this was pretty interesting news. John Prescott has long been the butt of jokes here in the UK in relation to his weight and conspicuous consumption (not only food, but his nickname here is "Two Jags" for his car preference), and I think it will have surprised many people for him to admit to suffering from an eating disorder.
Personally, although I don't have much use for the man as a politician (even compared to other politicians), I think it was pretty brave of him to go public with such a personal issue in order to help other sufferers. He has stepped down from front-bench politics so it's unlikely that he's decided to do it as a publicity stunt. I say good on him and hopefully it will promote discussion about eating disorders in men. |
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