Catholics high among anorexia victims
NZPA Sydney Many victims of the socalled slimmers’ disease, anorexia nervosa, are Catholic schoolgirls who equate self-starvation with saintliness, according to a South Australian sociologist.
Ms Liz Eckermann, of Flinders University in Adelaide, told a public seminar that young girls with a strong religious upbringing were more vulnerable to eating disorders.
She said they had a strong Christian emphasis on self-denial as a form of spiritual purification.
A survey showed eating disorders were much more prevalent among girls in private schools, especially Catholics, than in any other group in the community.
"There’s no doubt there is a strong link between religion and self-starva-tion,” she said. “The misery (of anorexia) makes them feel morally superior to other people.
“The news media have been a favourite scapegoat among feminists and the medical profession, but it just does not tally with my findings,” Ms Eckermann said.
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Press, 10 November 1986, Page 15
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148Catholics high among anorexia victims Press, 10 November 1986, Page 15
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