BMI/Numbers/Weight Triggers - Bulimia in the News: John Prescott admits to suffering Bulimia

[EmmaM]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7357008.stm

Prescott tells of bulimia battle



Mr Prescott tried to hide his eating disorder from his wife



Former deputy prime minister John Prescott has confessed to suffering from the eating disorder bulimia.
He writes in the Sunday Times that he used to gorge on food and then vomit.
He explains how he could "sup a whole tin of condensed milk", eat trifles "for ever" and eat his way through his favourite Chinese restaurant's menu.
Mr Prescott said he had not previously spoken of the disorder "out of shame", partly because it was associated with women. One cause was stress, he added.
"I've never confessed it before," the 69-year-old explains.

An eating disorder can affect anyone at any age, it isn't just young girls, it's boys and men as well Susan Ringwood, Beat

"Out of shame, I suppose, or embarrassment or just because it's such a strange thing for someone like me to confess to.
"People normally associate it with young women - anorexic girls, models trying to keep their weight down - or women in stressful situations, like Princess Diana."
Susan Ringwood, chief executive of the eating disorders charity Beat, told Radio 5 Live that bulimia was not only suffered by young women.
She said: "We do know that an eating disorder can affect anyone at any age, it isn't just young girls, it's boys and men as well, so in that sense it wasn't a surprise.
"And neither was it a surprise that someone felt they really needed to keep this a secret, and even say they felt ashamed of themselves.
"And that feeling can stop people getting help."

What I did was stuff my face with anything around, any old rubbish, burgers, chocolate, crisps, fish and chips, loads of it, till I felt sick John Prescott

Mr Prescott, who stepped down from Labour's front bench last year after ten years as deputy PM, said people would never suspect he suffered from the disorder and that some could accuse him of not being "a very successful bulimic" because his weight did not drop.
He said he began binging and vomiting during his years in the shadow cabinet in the 1980s, but the condition got worse when Labour came to power in 1997.
"So what I did was stuff my face with anything around, any old rubbish, burgers, chocolate, crisps, fish and chips, loads of it, till I felt sick - but at least I'd had the pleasure of stuffing my face and feeling really full.
"Then there would be a weird kind of pleasure in vomiting and feeling relieved."
Secret eating
He continued: "I could sup a whole tin of Carnation condensed milk, just for the taste, stupid things like that. Marks & Spencer trifles, I still love them, one of my favourites. I can eat them for ever.

"Whenever I go to Mr Chu's in Hull, my favourite Chinese restaurant in the whole world . . . I could eat my way through the entire menu."
He speaks of trying to hide his bulimia from colleagues and his wife, Pauline.
"I thought, of course, I was being clever, and no-one would ever know, but Pauline realised in the end. The signs in the toilet gave it away, and all the missing food."
Seventeen years ago Mrs Prescott persuaded her husband to get help from the House of Commons doctor and he was sent on to a consultant.

My weight, though, is still over 15 stone - as I do love my food - but I try not to snack between meals and to eat at sensible times John Prescott

"I turned up and found his waiting room full of young women. I was the only man there. I felt a right twerp. Luckily none of them shopped me to the press.
"Perhaps they thought I was on a fact-finding mission, never for one moment thinking that a man of my age and build could be suffering from bulimia nervosa, but that's what the consultant said I had."
He received treatment, but he continued to be bulimic when he became deputy prime minister in 1997.
But now he says he has not suffered from the disorder for a year and exercises in the gym for 45 minutes a day.
"My weight, though, is still over 15 stone - as I do love my food - but I try not to snack between meals and to eat at sensible times." Mr Prescott, who also has diabetes, is now supporting the National Health Service's awareness campaign on food disorders. "I hope that it will encourage people to come out and discuss these matters and not suffer in silence," he says.

[EmmaM]

I'm not a fan of John Prescott but I think its so sad for someone who has had a lot of stress and he always gets bad press and slagging off in the newspapers its sad that it really effected him badly :(

[Breeze]

I'm no fan either but I think it is good that he has been able to come out and admit to this. And hopefully it will help people see this isn't only something that affect young girls.
The news report on BBC news 24 was interesting.

[Scumbelina]

I just made a post about this AFTER looking if the story was here already -D'oh!

I'm wondering if anyone thinks it will make a difference to any of the stigma surrounding males with eating disorders?

I also think it's 'good' that someone who is overweight has come out to talk about their ED. When I was having issues with food, weight & B/Ping I was too scared to tell anyone incase they just thought 'well shes fat anyway so theres nothing to worry about'

[*Scarlett*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikiko

i think it's good to see a public figure who happens to be the polar opposite of the stereotype admitting to the disorder

I agree. I think its a good thing he's done and hopefully it will raise more awareness to the fact that anyone can have an eating disorder.

[-Chelsey-]

I think it was an extremly brave thing to come out and admit, however I'm unsure of the out come of it, especially after reading peoples views on the BBC website. It's very sad people arn't treating him with respect because of his political involvement.

[EmmaM]

I heard a comment on a news programme from a presenter and she said something along the lines of 'whatever he was doing it didn't work he is still overweight' and that really P'ed me off!!
Some people are so damn ignorant.

[surprising mystery]

I dont like him as a politician, never have. But as a person, I now admire him, for opening up and raising awareness, when there is a lot of stigma around men and EDs.

Im glad he has told his story in his own time. My mum was watching the news this morning and the presenter opening the story said 'Prescott has confessed to having bulimia'... my mum hit the roof, ranting and raving how someone with cancer doesnt 'confess' their illness etc. I was actually proud on her for picking that up :P

But yeah, I think the way the story has been handled by some presenters has been a bit off.

I hope he continues to get better, and I hope he kicks up a big amount of awareness so that others with EDs get help, and dont suffer in silence.

xx

[xfallenangelx]

i admire him for saying this xx

[Sorrowfree]

I read about this earlier, and some of the comments on newspaper websites have been really horrible. I think it's brave of him to be so honest, and hope he continues to get better.

[Ami]

just proves it can affect anyone, not just teenage girls

wish i could give him a hug, he's very brave x

[snailonvalium]

its good he's gone public with the fact he suffered with an ed,therefore making people aware men can suffer from ed's,but its not going to open up new treatment facilities,or more beds to treat ed's.....

[Ami]

people have said some nasty comments on the bbc website.

"i thought people with bulimia were skinny"

"isnt it to do with the food budget"

etc

[InsufficientFunds]

It brilliant that he is putting this out there, it must be so difficult especially with the stigma attached to Bulimia that it is a 'teenage girls disease'.
He may not be a good politician but I give him props for this one.

[thingsareslippingagain]

In my psychology class today, a guy was talking about this, and the teacher joined it and they both agreed that 'he must be making it up because a) hes still fat and b) fat people don't have bulimia kinda beats the point huh?"

I felt so angry and hurt, but if i had said anything at all, they would have probably been quite suspicious.

I think John Prescott is a brave man, even if politically I don't totally agree with him!!

xx

[Hopeless_little_one]

Im not sure on this.

Im undecisive as to whether he's made it up in order to gain more publicity and use it as a tool for being more socially accepted by a wider majority of people... Or if he generally wants to get the message out to the world that is is a much broader issue and raise awareness ans support for more people.

Dont get me wrong- im not trying to say anything negative about this really, I think its good that issues like this are gaining more support rather than being shunned. I just dont know if its just a publicity stunt- in which case it would be really disrespectful.

Please dont think I mean anything bad :S

XxX

XxX

[pockelberry52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strawberry Zebra

I also think it's 'good' that someone who is overweight has come out to talk about their ED. When I was having issues with food, weight & B/Ping I was too scared to tell anyone incase they just thought 'well shes fat anyway so theres nothing to worry about'

Thanks for saying that I totally agree I can really connect to that right now...

[[Purple_Rain]]

people in my history clas thougth he was makeign it up, then mimed being someone overweight (puffed out cheecks etc)
2 good freinds of mine joined in
one of whom knwos i used ot have issues, the other has an idea.

i explained that you dotn have to look liek you have an ED to have one, and that bulimia has no weigth limit. they both said that knew tha,t but carried on makeign fun.

i nealry burst out into tears.

i think he is very brave man, i could never do anythign liek that, and barely anyone knows who i am. now all we need is to get the DSMV or whatever they're claled to change their weight limitations on anorexia, and we're set (Y)

[beautiful&dying]

it all just comes down to the old adage, an eating disorder is not a weight, it's a behaviour. Prezza is comedy genius for me usually, I think this is the first time he's actually made me take him seriously. Kind of!