Kate Thornton once battled with anorexia
While many of us are concentrating on losing the extra pounds we put on over the festive season, there are millions of people dealing with a much more serious kind of weight loss, through eating disorders - something not even celebrities are immune from.
Tonight will see the airing of a documentary made by TV presenter, Kate Thornton, delving into her painful experiences of anorexia, with which she suffered throughout her teenage years. Kate first developed the eating disorder at the age of 11, when school bullies taunted her with fat jibes. Now aged 38 and a size 10, she will visit clinics devoted entirely to helping those with anorexia, during the hour long documentary.
Eating disorders are nothing new, but documentaries like this, and increasing numbers of celebrities opening up about their own personal battles with it are important in raising awareness and getting help for those who need it.
According to figures provided by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), it is estimated that at least 1.6 million people in the United Kingdom are affected by an eating disorder - 11% of which are male. But more recent research by the NHS has put the figure at up to 6.4% of the adult population displaying signs of an eating disorder, and suggested that a much higher figure of a quarter of them are male.
Healthy weight guidelines depend on the age and height of a person, and the criteria for diagnosis of anorexia nervosa includes a refusal to either maintain or reach at least 85% of the expected healthy body weight of a person of their age and height.
The likes of Elton John, Sharon Osbourne, Jessica Alba and Nicole Richie have all spoke out about their battles with eating disorders in the past - but with so many other famous faces looking dangerously thin, there are clearly plenty who prefer to keep quiet about it.
But organisations such as Beat are doing all that they can to help reduce the number of people experiencing eating disorders. Beat provides helplines and online support, as well as running a nationwide network of self help groups for adults and young people who are trying to combat their eating disorder. Aiming to challenge the stigma associated with anorexia, they are determined to get the message across that such eating disorders are a serious mental illness - not a fashion statement, or a diet taken too far.
Whilst some celebrities are constantly accused of glamourising size zero, with pictures of their tiny frames considered dangerous for young people who are easily influenced by their favourite stars, there are some who break the mould. Kelly Brook, Holly Willoughby, Beyonce and Christina Hendricks are all curvy and confident. Hopefully they will lead the way, and promote being happy and healthy, over being dangerously thin.
More information on eating disorders can be found on the Beat website, at www.b-eat.co.uk.
'Kate Thornton- Anorexic: My Secret Past' is on tonight (January 18) at 10pm on Channel 5.
Georgia Smith