Fondazzjoni Kenn Għal Saħħtek chairman Anton Grech was “shocked” at the high number of young people who referred themselves into a facility for people suffering from eating disorders and obesity during a recent open weekend.

Located in Mtarfa, the residential and semi-residential facility Dar Kenn Għal Saħħtek welcomed the first group of people with obesity eight weeks ago, while the first group of people with eating disorders will be received next week.

“Before we opened the facility, we had conducted research on the incidence of eating disorders in Malta. However, a lot of young people visited us during the open weekend – numbers which were not captured in our research.”

Dr Grech was addressing a conference yesterday on eating disorders and obesity organised by the Department of Occupational Therapy in Mount Carmel Hospital and Fondazzjoni Kenn Għal Saħħtek.

There are people who can’t afford to eat healthily because healthy food is more expensive

Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) are serious mental disorders which people typically acquire in mid-adolescence at a developmentally sensitive time.

People with anorexia lose weight, which may become severe and life-threatening while people with bulimia may secretly binge and then purge, trying to get rid of the extra calories in an unhealthy way.

EDNOS is an eating disorder that does not meet the criteria for anorexia or bulimia.

According to an NSO survey, nearly one per cent of people aged between 16 and 50 years is suffering from one or more of the three kinds of eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia or binge eating.

Two per cent have been afflicted at some point in the past.

Dr Grech explained that people most susceptible to develop an eating disorder are those who have low-self esteem, are perfectionists, have obsessive tendencies, troubled family and personal relationships, and those who have a family history of eating disorders.

Most would have close relatives who suffer from depression and anxiety.

Opening the conference, President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca called upon professionals to carry out research on social factors vis-à-vis obesity.

Obesity, she said, was not only a result of overeating and lack of exercise but also stemmed from social and financial problems.

“There are people who can’t afford to eat healthily because healthy food is more expensive. If you add the fact that people might lack an education and therefore are unable to budget their everyday expenses, you’ll end up with people who find themselves at great risk.”

She also called for greater integration and inter-discipline between professionals in the field, adding that this was of heightened importance in view of the fact that Malta has a lack of financial resources, infrastructure and human resources.

The story of Lara Grech, 38

“I suffered from anorexia and bulimia for 10 years, between the age of 16 and 26.

“The trigger was bullying – I came to Malta at the age of 12 and couldn’t speak Maltese very well at the time so I was singled out. I was on the chubby side.

“I started out with good intentions – I was losing weight and feeling good about it. But then I couldn’t stop.

“I felt lonely, isolated and confused at the time – lonely because I knew of no one who was going through what I was and confused because I was at an age where I should have been carefree, enjoying myself and socialising.

“Instead, I was burdened with this mental weight, and constantly fighting an internal battle.

“Relationships were impossible – going to a restaurant or a bar and eating in public was an ordeal.

“I was hospitalised at the age of 21 for three weeks when I ended up weighing a mere 38 kilograms.

“Then I accepted that I needed help to change – you see, even admitting you have a problem is a big hurdle. I would look in the mirror and still see myself as fat.

“I encourage people who have an eating disorder to speak out – there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Parents should keep a close relationship with their children to help them address the problem. The public would do well to better educate itself – prevention is better than cure.”