The Good Eater
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) affects about 4 million people in the United States; men account for 1.6 million of sufferers according to reports of the McLean Hospital-conducted first national study of eating disorders. Characteristics of the disease include:
The disease can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, multiple organ failures and/or diseases, further mental anguish in the form of depression or suicide and female reproductive complications. People suffering are urged to seek help as soon as possible as they may be in need of intensive therapy prior to losing any weight they may have picked up during binging periods.
One person who’s come forward in an effort to engage and educate is former model Ron Saxen. He’s recently released a book, The Good Eater, about his voyage from modelling to a 70 pound, six month weight gain. And back.
Saxen was recently interviewed by Joseph Planta, and - not to be feminist - he’s got perspective that I’ve rarely heard from a man regarding eating disorders. Chapter one of the book opens with his initial appointment and subsequent signing with his first modelling agency. You can find an excerp here. It strikes me as…odd, honestly, to read a man’s thoughts that have exactly matched mine in reference to whether he is too fat to be spoken to. And to see the mental tally of over-done and under nourished exercise.
I’ve never much used binging in my own history. It seemed too risky, when my goal was to become invisible. I suppose, mentally, suffering with BED would be just as effective at erasing yourself, as losing as much weight as is possible.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Definitely BED kills…it erases your body and your mind.
November 10th, 2007 at 2:04 am
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