Women across the world have always battled with weight problems. It is a known fact that women are under continual pressure to look thinner. However, many resort to harmful methods of losing weight. Reasons for these trials could range from beauty consciousness to unhealthy comparisons with others. Strangely, neither of these reasons were what drove Helen Gillespie to extreme dieting. Her reasons were unrealistic – she wanted to remain young and innocent forever.

In an effort to avoid becoming an adult, Helen started dieting dangerously since the age of 10 years. A resident of Perth, Scotland, she has instead began looking like a 70 year old lady at just 30. She eats less than half of what is recommended for a child. As her dieting began early, she never developed mature body parts such as hips and breasts. Though Helen has managed to look childlike until a few years back, her present pictures point at something more dangerous. She was hospitalized several times at the brink of starvation and death. Helen had lost out on all normal life events such as education, relationships and friends.

Anorexia is a dangerous phenomenon that needs to be addressed and treated. Abusing the body to look thin is counter productive in the long term. Starvation is an unhealthy way to lose weight. Instead, one should eat a healthy amount of food and burn extra calories through exercise and activities.

(AW:Sruthi)