There are around 560 second and eighth grade students and two-year high school students throughout the province who participate, in presence (250) and via video connection in the meeting “All you can know – – All the information we can have to feed body, mind and emotions at its best”, which is held at the Fabbrica delle Candele on Wednesday for the twelfth edition of the “National Day on Eating Disorders”. Objectives of the meeting-debate, which will take place in the morning from 10 to 11.30, is to propose the way to a healthy life, especially against the youthful scourge of eating disorders, ranging from anorexia to overweight and obesity .
In recent years, the trend of “all you can eat” has spread, places where you can eat until you burst with little money. But are we sure that the choice is healthy? Is it possible that for the price of a dish you can eat whatever you read on the menu for hours? This is the provocation he launches Michele Massimo Casula of BillOver 3.0, host of the meeting, “director of emotions” and expert in emotional communication. Surely somewhere the price will be paid and not only on the health of the body, the mind will also pay the price of finding satisfaction only on the quantity without the emotions of appreciating the “little but healthy”.
Two young “unfluencers” (unconventional influencers), who have an important following on social media and among young people, also take part in the initiative, organized by the association “Un’altra storia” with the sponsorship of the Municipality. Valentina Pano, who shares topics that are anything but superficial with young people such as the social moods of anxieties and pressures of society and Camilla Di Pasquasio, a psychologist specializing in neuroscience and behavioral and eating disorders. We will talk about topics such as failure, tenderness and the choice to look within. All this will ensure that the difficulties are understood and that they are transformed, through comparison, from suffering to self-acceptance.
Unfluencers to spread positive role models, who they are
“Through the interview with the young Alice Marcon, who suffered from these ailments (testimonial of the non-profit association Animenta), we demonstrate how it is possible to overcome critical moments – he explains Valentina Vimari of the organizing association ‘Another story’ -. Reflections on correct lifestyles that intend to overturn old prejudices, according to which everything that is “healthy” involves sacrifice but above all starts from a choice. Because we can all give in to temptations but our duty is to become responsible for our actions”.
data on eating disorders
The Coronavirus emergency has further aggravated the situation: the Italian Society for the Study of Eating Disorders estimates that in the last 20 months, there has been a 40% increase in new cases and a 50% increase in requests for first visit for eating disorders. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating were problems that, before Covid, were already growing rapidly, and not just among girls. Specialists reported increasingly early cases, even under the age of 12 and a greater diffusion in the male population.
VIDEO – Experts and a testimony on eating disorders
“The Istituto Superiore di Sanità states that the most affected are the “starved for love” children, between impossible diets and endless binges. For this reason, we have chosen the formula of debate – he adds the councilor for youth policies Paola Casara -, in addition to the involvement of testimonials and “young experts”, such as Unfluencers, because we believe it is the best formula to raise awareness among young people with a language close to them. In Forlì we were the first, with an initiative last June to make use of the contribution of ‘unfluencers’ to speak to young people”.
“Diseases that express deep pain”
“It is our duty to raise awareness among young people and the public about eating and nutrition disorders – he reiterates Alberto Zattini, director of Confcommercio Forlì -. Until a few years ago, there was little or no talk of eating disorders; they were thought to be. Today they are the tip of the iceberg, a symptom, certainly very serious, which accompanies, expresses, a deep pain: anxiety, fear, insecurity, a sense of failure. Teens who suddenly start counting calories, starving themselves and exhausted from workouts. Others who secretly accumulate packs of snacks in drawers, still others who, as soon as the plate is clean, run to the bathroom to free themselves.
To deal with this problem, it closes Annalisa Samorani, General Manager of Samorani Group of Forlì, “it therefore becomes essential, from a preventive perspective, to teach our children how to recognize those signs of anger and impulsiveness that can be at the root of the problem, pick up the alarm signals and recognize the different forms of discomfort , some more visible and others more subtle and creeping. We must also be aware that it is possible to get help and teach young people to come out of isolation, which is one of the main maintenance mechanisms. We need to break the secret and talk about it, just as Alice managed to do it, with the help of her family and friends. Be aware that there are structures, professionals and specialists of DCA centers. This is to be able to intervene, to be able to build a network of help and an alternative to protect oneself”.