Latest news with #ButterflyFoundation
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
As a Millennial who lived through ‘heroin chic', the Age of Ozempic terrifies me
There are a few rules that those in polite society should always follow. One is avoiding double-dipping when faced with a crudite plate and a bowl of hummus at an event. Another is never – ever! – assume that a woman is pregnant. Yet, for some reason, this rule has never seemed to apply when discussing celebrities. Most recently, the target was Taylor Swift, who managed to fuel pregnancy rumours after she was spotted wearing a loose fitting mini-dress. Seeing a woman yet again become the target for pregnancy speculation based on something as flimsy as a billowing bit of fabric or a post-dinner burrito belly, this online rhetoric goes a long way in explaining why three in four Australian high school-aged teenagers feel they need to be thinner. According to the Butterfly Foundation's annual BodyKind Youth Survey released in late May, 90 per cent of Australian teenagers now have some level of concern about their body image. Nearly half said they have never or rarely felt comfortable with their body (up from 40 per cent in 2022), while 75.5 per cent said that they wished they were thinner (up from 62 per cent in 2022). Nearly eight in 10 teenagers said they have been on the receiving end of negative comments about their body or had been teased about their appearance (up from seven in 10 in 2022). As an older Millennial who came of age in the Heroin Chic era – a time that was punctuated by Kate Moss declaring that 'nothing tastes as good as skinny feels', jutting collarbones, pro-anorexia Tumblr accounts and diet tips like 'drink a glass of water every time you feel hungry' – it is haunting seeing this regression. If the same survey had existed when I was in high school, it's entirely possible that the results would have been scarily similar. That's not to say that nothing has changed in 20 years – because for a while there, things were getting better. Loading Though it was far from perfect, the body positivity and body acceptance movement of the past decade actually felt revolutionary in many ways. Seeing pop icon Lizzo declare herself to be 'the baddest bitch alive' in a lycra onesie onstage, felt profound because it was. As did seeing Ashley Graham, a 'plus-sized' model, grace the cover of Vogue in 2017 – the first time in the magazine's 135-year history. We nodded along as Meghan Trainor declared she was All About That Bass and danced along to Nicki Minaj's reinvigorated version of Baby Got Back. Even Moss herself, the queen of heroin chic, acknowledged the need for change, telling commentator Megyn Kelly in 2018 that she regretted her famous quip and that, 'there's so much more diversity now, I think it's right … it's better'. But all of this progress wasn't to last. Over the past year, the fashion set – the canary in the coalmine for all things trendy – has profoundly rejected its experiment with broadening its size appeal on the runway. Across the 2024 Spring/Summer runways, just 0.8 per cent of the models walking were 'plus-sized', compared to 2.8 per cent in 2020.
The Age
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
As a Millennial who lived through ‘heroin chic', the Age of Ozempic terrifies me
There are a few rules that those in polite society should always follow. One is avoiding double-dipping when faced with a crudite plate and a bowl of hummus at an event. Another is never – ever! – assume that a woman is pregnant. Yet, for some reason, this rule has never seemed to apply when discussing celebrities. Most recently, the target was Taylor Swift, who managed to fuel pregnancy rumours after she was spotted wearing a loose fitting mini-dress. Seeing a woman yet again become the target for pregnancy speculation based on something as flimsy as a billowing bit of fabric or a post-dinner burrito belly, this online rhetoric goes a long way in explaining why three in four Australian high school-aged teenagers feel they need to be thinner. According to the Butterfly Foundation's annual BodyKind Youth Survey released in late May, 90 per cent of Australian teenagers now have some level of concern about their body image. Nearly half said they have never or rarely felt comfortable with their body (up from 40 per cent in 2022), while 75.5 per cent said that they wished they were thinner (up from 62 per cent in 2022). Nearly eight in 10 teenagers said they have been on the receiving end of negative comments about their body or had been teased about their appearance (up from seven in 10 in 2022). As an older Millennial who came of age in the Heroin Chic era – a time that was punctuated by Kate Moss declaring that 'nothing tastes as good as skinny feels', jutting collarbones, pro-anorexia Tumblr accounts and diet tips like 'drink a glass of water every time you feel hungry' – it is haunting seeing this regression. If the same survey had existed when I was in high school, it's entirely possible that the results would have been scarily similar. That's not to say that nothing has changed in 20 years – because for a while there, things were getting better. Loading Though it was far from perfect, the body positivity and body acceptance movement of the past decade actually felt revolutionary in many ways. Seeing pop icon Lizzo declare herself to be 'the baddest bitch alive' in a lycra onesie onstage, felt profound because it was. As did seeing Ashley Graham, a 'plus-sized' model, grace the cover of Vogue in 2017 – the first time in the magazine's 135-year history. We nodded along as Meghan Trainor declared she was All About That Bass and danced along to Nicki Minaj's reinvigorated version of Baby Got Back. Even Moss herself, the queen of heroin chic, acknowledged the need for change, telling commentator Megyn Kelly in 2018 that she regretted her famous quip and that, 'there's so much more diversity now, I think it's right … it's better'. But all of this progress wasn't to last. Over the past year, the fashion set – the canary in the coalmine for all things trendy – has profoundly rejected its experiment with broadening its size appeal on the runway. Across the 2024 Spring/Summer runways, just 0.8 per cent of the models walking were 'plus-sized', compared to 2.8 per cent in 2020.
ABC News
04-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Eating disorder research and funding falling behind
New research published today is calling for a drastic re-think of how we research and treat eating disorders with current treatments for anorexia nervosa now decades old and only effective in about half of all patients. Breakthroughs have been few and far between in recent years and the need for updated funding and treatment has never been more critical with anorexia nervosa having one of the highest premature death rates of any mental illness. Guest: Associate Professor Andrea Phillipou, Principal Research Fellow in Eating Disorders at Orygen and The Centre for Youth Mental Health at The University of Melbourne Associate Professor Andrea Phillipou, Principal Research Fellow in Eating Disorders at Orygen and The Centre for Youth Mental Health at The University of Melbourne Producer: Grace Stranger If this conversation has raised any issues for you, help is available: Butterfly Foundation National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) Lifeline on 13 11 14
The Advertiser
01-06-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Women's crossfit bonanza supporting Butterfly Foundation for eating disorders
IN a colourful display of strength and power, hundreds of women gathered in Cameron Park to take part in a crossfit event described as the world's largest celebration of female movement. The Butterfly Effect Competition is the largest women-only CrossFit competition in the country, celebrating body positivity, inclusivity and raising money for the Butterfly Foundation, a charity supporting those suffering from eating disorders. Organisers say the event, which was held at CrossFit Life Athletic, is more than a competition, that it is a movement championing inclusivity, body positivity, and personal growth, welcoming athletes of all backgrounds and abilities. Butterfly Effect events take place all over Australia, as well as in Singapore, New Zealand and Dubai. The format involves teams of three across three divisions, tackling four workouts over the course of the day that have been released months in advance to give participants plenty of time to prepare. More than 300 athletes registered to attend, and 600 spectators were expected to cheer them on. The Butterfly Effect began in 2016 as a female-only fitness competition, created to raise awareness about negative body image and eating disorders. It is a cause close to founder Rowena Calderwood's heart. As a young child, her mother suffered with anorexia, surviving off multiple cups of coffee a day and cigarettes. In her early twenties, Ms Calderwood became homeless, living off bread, jam and scraps off people's plates at cafes. It was during this challenging season that she began to appreciate and value food, and promised herself if she could get out of this difficult situation, she would never take food or health for granted again. Today's event was "amazing", she said, loud and full of good vibes. "It's a community event but it's part of an event series," Ms Calderwood said. "There will be 6,000 people competing worldwide and the next one is in Auckland." IN a colourful display of strength and power, hundreds of women gathered in Cameron Park to take part in a crossfit event described as the world's largest celebration of female movement. The Butterfly Effect Competition is the largest women-only CrossFit competition in the country, celebrating body positivity, inclusivity and raising money for the Butterfly Foundation, a charity supporting those suffering from eating disorders. Organisers say the event, which was held at CrossFit Life Athletic, is more than a competition, that it is a movement championing inclusivity, body positivity, and personal growth, welcoming athletes of all backgrounds and abilities. Butterfly Effect events take place all over Australia, as well as in Singapore, New Zealand and Dubai. The format involves teams of three across three divisions, tackling four workouts over the course of the day that have been released months in advance to give participants plenty of time to prepare. More than 300 athletes registered to attend, and 600 spectators were expected to cheer them on. The Butterfly Effect began in 2016 as a female-only fitness competition, created to raise awareness about negative body image and eating disorders. It is a cause close to founder Rowena Calderwood's heart. As a young child, her mother suffered with anorexia, surviving off multiple cups of coffee a day and cigarettes. In her early twenties, Ms Calderwood became homeless, living off bread, jam and scraps off people's plates at cafes. It was during this challenging season that she began to appreciate and value food, and promised herself if she could get out of this difficult situation, she would never take food or health for granted again. Today's event was "amazing", she said, loud and full of good vibes. "It's a community event but it's part of an event series," Ms Calderwood said. "There will be 6,000 people competing worldwide and the next one is in Auckland." IN a colourful display of strength and power, hundreds of women gathered in Cameron Park to take part in a crossfit event described as the world's largest celebration of female movement. The Butterfly Effect Competition is the largest women-only CrossFit competition in the country, celebrating body positivity, inclusivity and raising money for the Butterfly Foundation, a charity supporting those suffering from eating disorders. Organisers say the event, which was held at CrossFit Life Athletic, is more than a competition, that it is a movement championing inclusivity, body positivity, and personal growth, welcoming athletes of all backgrounds and abilities. Butterfly Effect events take place all over Australia, as well as in Singapore, New Zealand and Dubai. The format involves teams of three across three divisions, tackling four workouts over the course of the day that have been released months in advance to give participants plenty of time to prepare. More than 300 athletes registered to attend, and 600 spectators were expected to cheer them on. The Butterfly Effect began in 2016 as a female-only fitness competition, created to raise awareness about negative body image and eating disorders. It is a cause close to founder Rowena Calderwood's heart. As a young child, her mother suffered with anorexia, surviving off multiple cups of coffee a day and cigarettes. In her early twenties, Ms Calderwood became homeless, living off bread, jam and scraps off people's plates at cafes. It was during this challenging season that she began to appreciate and value food, and promised herself if she could get out of this difficult situation, she would never take food or health for granted again. Today's event was "amazing", she said, loud and full of good vibes. "It's a community event but it's part of an event series," Ms Calderwood said. "There will be 6,000 people competing worldwide and the next one is in Auckland." IN a colourful display of strength and power, hundreds of women gathered in Cameron Park to take part in a crossfit event described as the world's largest celebration of female movement. The Butterfly Effect Competition is the largest women-only CrossFit competition in the country, celebrating body positivity, inclusivity and raising money for the Butterfly Foundation, a charity supporting those suffering from eating disorders. Organisers say the event, which was held at CrossFit Life Athletic, is more than a competition, that it is a movement championing inclusivity, body positivity, and personal growth, welcoming athletes of all backgrounds and abilities. Butterfly Effect events take place all over Australia, as well as in Singapore, New Zealand and Dubai. The format involves teams of three across three divisions, tackling four workouts over the course of the day that have been released months in advance to give participants plenty of time to prepare. More than 300 athletes registered to attend, and 600 spectators were expected to cheer them on. The Butterfly Effect began in 2016 as a female-only fitness competition, created to raise awareness about negative body image and eating disorders. It is a cause close to founder Rowena Calderwood's heart. As a young child, her mother suffered with anorexia, surviving off multiple cups of coffee a day and cigarettes. In her early twenties, Ms Calderwood became homeless, living off bread, jam and scraps off people's plates at cafes. It was during this challenging season that she began to appreciate and value food, and promised herself if she could get out of this difficult situation, she would never take food or health for granted again. Today's event was "amazing", she said, loud and full of good vibes. "It's a community event but it's part of an event series," Ms Calderwood said. "There will be 6,000 people competing worldwide and the next one is in Auckland."
West Australian
27-05-2025
- Health
- West Australian
Editorial: Eating disorder crisis is plaguing kids and stealing childhoods
Children, as young as seven, starving themselves. Boys who exercise themselves to exhaustion, obsessed with attaining the perfect physique. Girls who send photographs of themselves to friends to scrutinise, poring over them for 'imperfections', the lumps and bumps of impending womanhood problems to be wished away. Young adults who obsess over eating 'clean', or who lurch from diet fad to diet fad, distorting their relationship with food and depriving themselves of nutrients in the process. Kids who should think of their bodies only in terms of their function — their ability to run, jump, play — comparing themselves to the Ozempic-aided super frail frames of celebrities and finding themselves wanting. These are the new faces of our national body image crisis. It's an issue that touches every family with young people in some way, whether they realise it or not. The harm comes on a spectrum. On the mild end, it's the teenager who looks at themselves in dissatisfaction, wishing they were just a bit thinner, a bit taller or a bit more muscular. At the extreme end, it's children being admitted to hospital for severe anorexia, bulimia or exercise addiction. Those kids at the extreme end of the spectrum are turning up more and more in our hospitals and medical clinics, brought there by desperately worried parents. Unless you've been there yourself, it's impossible to imagine the heartbreak these parents feel as they watch their children literally fade away before them. They're powerless to help their kids break out of the prison that is the hatred they feel towards their own bodies. This isn't a new problem. We've known about the dangers of distorted body image for decades. The drivers have shifted. It's no longer glossy magazines pointing out in lurid detail every 'flaw' on a celebrity's body. It's online, on dedicated 'pro-ana' communities, and it's the avalanche of images on their Instagram and TikTok feeds that reinforce the notion that they aren't good enough. And, in some cases, it's us. It's the parent who complains about their weight creep, and announces a new diet or exercise regimen. And it can be the school that heavily polices the content of lunchboxes, inadvertently teaching kids that food can be 'bad' and something to be feared. These well-meaning interventions and casual comments can have an impact far greater — and more dangerous — than we realise. It's a wicked challenge, and all of us with young people in our lives play a role in addressing it. Better training for educators in our schools, better resources treatment centres in our health systems, and greater awareness among parents of the dangers and drivers. Butterfly Foundation 1800 ED HOPE Lifeline 13 11 14
