'A hidden epidemic is affecting our children this summer...and I know what's causing it'

They are anticipating a summer spike in contacts from children struggling with body image issues and eating disorders.

New data from the service reveals it delivered 4,229 counselling sessions to young people from April 2023 to March 2024 about these problems.

Support from Childline about body image issues and eating disorders peaked in August last year, a time when children are not in school and potentially spending more time outside or on social media.

These figures, although deeply concerning, sadly didn’t surprise me.

Every year I see first-hand how these months can also be a challenging time, especially for those experiencing body image concerns.

Eating and food-related issues can peak in the summertime triggering feelings of anxiety, depression and avoidance.

Hot weather means less clothing, more visible skin, and no more hiding behind baggy sweaters and joggers.

I see all too often the impact of the constant barrage of summer campaigns telling us to ‘get the perfect summer body’ or ‘try the summer fit challenge’.

This only adds to the negative narrative that the only ‘acceptable’ summer bodies are skinny and fit for females and big and muscly for males.

This situation hasn’t been helped by reality TV shows and social media which are now flooded with images of beautiful tanned celebrities with the perfect body.

It is no wonder our young are such an easily influenced generation who succumb to how they think society and others should see them and how they should be seen.

Within my work I have seen many use the six to eight weeks summer holiday period to try and reinvent themselves, a phenomenon commonly referred to as ‘Glow Up’.

Over this period they may try to lose weight, get into fitness, go to the gym, change their eating habits and generally work on themselves for the better good with the aim of going back to school looking different. For most, it is a fun and positive exercise, but for some, it can take a sinister turn into an unhealthy obsession with dangerous consequences.

When most people think of eating disorders they think of young girls but this couldn’t be further from reality, eating disorders can and do affect anyone regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, social background or race.

Eating disorders come in many different guises and affect everyone differently.

We must remember that boys are equally affected, and the pressure to look a certain way for them is just as strong as for young girls.

When I was researching for my book Hope with Eating Disorders, I interviewed a group of young boys. One of them, age 17, said that he had declined a holiday with his friends as he felt he would not be able to take his t-shirt off on the beach.

Another said that he was striving to look like the guy on the front of one of the men’s health magazines and although he knew it was potentially airbrushed his distorted thinking was still telling him it was possible.

This obsession came at the expense of his exams because he was in the gym every day determined to look like the cover model.

Parents and carers may be pleased to see their young ones taking steps to make ‘positive healthy’ changes to their bodies and eating habits.

But they also need to be aware there is a fine line between healthy and unhealthy.

Some things to be aware of that are common themes include:

1. Change in behaviour and becoming withdrawn
2. Being secretive around food
3. Constantly comparing themselves to others
4. Visible anxiety if not able to exercise or their ‘Glow Up’ routine is disturbed
5. Cancelling plans due to body image issues

Parents need to open up conversations about the reality of how real the photographs are. Everyone is constantly bombarded with airbrushed and edited photographs, to the point where it is difficult to see what is real and what is not.

In a world that is all too often measured on how a person looks as opposed to who they are, young people must know that their looks are just a small part of who they are and their other qualities - their personality, achievements, the way they behave and how they treat others - are just as important.

I have always found that communication is key, which is easier said than done, but as a parent, you should try and make yourself available to chat when they are ready.

That way you will always keep the lines of communication open and this will make it easier to intervene should you be worried or feel that there could potentially be an issue.