Warning after fad diet leaves child, nine, with eating disorder
CHILDREN as young as nine are being forcibly hospitalised after falling seriously ill because of fad diets, it was warned yesterday.
A mental health expert said in one case a nine-year-old child received compulsory medical treatment after developing an eating disorder.
The child, who was not named, went to a private school and came from a well-off background, but became sick after attempting to follow the so-called ‘5-2’ diet. The diet stipulates calorie restriction for two non- consecutive days a week and unconstrained eating for the other days.
But the child, whose gender was not revealed, misinterpreted the instructions – and severely restricted their calorie intake five days a week, leaving them with a serious eating disorder.
Details of the case were outlined by May Dunsmuir, convener of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland, a quango which has the power to force people with mental health disorders to undergo ‘care and treatment’ in extreme circumstances, usually following a social work referral.
The child’s whereabouts and current welfare were not disclosed when Mrs Dunsmuir addressed the annual conference of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents in Kincardine, Fife yesterday.
She said an increasing number of children with severe eating disorders were coming before the tribunal, often because they were influenced by media images of celebrities advocating the supposed benefits of fad diets.
Mrs Dunsmuir said the case demonstrated t hat mental disorder ‘ cuts across class and age – it does not discriminate’.
She said: ‘This child, aged nine, came from a wealthy background – very well-educated in fact, very well-educated parents.
‘This nine-year-old had learned from the media the 5-2 diet – you eat for five days, you don’t eat for two. For a growing, developing body of a nine-year- old that could be catastrophic – when a nine-year-old converts it to 2-5, we see emerging problems.’
Mrs Dunsmuir said it was a ‘very distressing’ case for the tribunal, which considers whether or not it is necessary to ‘restrict the liberty’ of a person with a mental health disorder.
The fact compulsory care was needed suggests the child may have been refusing medical help from a GP because their mental disorder had become so severe that he or she was incapable of agreeing to urgent treatment.
Last night Scottish Tory health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: ‘This is one of the reasons we’d l i ke to see health visiting extended to youngsters up to the age of seven. We know that many health problems, including eating disorders can be spotted and prevented at a young age, and this has a hugely positive impact on family life.’
Mary George, of eating disorders charity Beat, said: ‘Even the youngest can find themselves comparing their own bodies with so-called ideals and developing low self- esteem. We need to encourage this young generation to have stronger self-belief.’
Health Minister Jamie Hepburn said: ‘This Government i s committed to i mproving child and adolescent mental health services. That is why we have i nvested an additional £100million over five years in mental health services.’