Thin is not in, says Vanessa

Thin is not in. So says Vanessa Marshall, a Design Marketing student at the University of Teesside who has designed an educational awareness campaign to help schoolchildren adopt healthy eating habits and lifestyles.

Vanessa, 20, from Heighington, Co Durham said: "It's no small wonder that impressionable youngsters think that thin is in with the all too frequent emaciated images of supermodels, film and pop stars everywhere you look.

"My research indicates that eating disorders are one of the biggest teenage problems, along with alcohol, aids and violence. Children are unaware that there may be long-term psychological effects associated with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. Also with a two per cent increase in diagnosed cases of men's eating disorders there is clearly a need for a effective awareness strategy."

Vanessa's campaign aims to change peoples' attitudes towards eating disorders, linking the problem with low self-esteem. This will involve a series of posters and leaflets for students, parents and teachers. Vanessa sees her campaign as complementing the secondary school Physical, Social & Health Education module.

Vanessa's campaign will feature in the Design Degree Show at the University of Teesside on 19-21 June from 9am-5pm. Contact Helen Smith at the School of Law, Arts & Humanities on 01642 384052 for more details.

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