Modern society places a lot of emphasis on the way people look, especially in terms of the constant pressure to stay slim. It’s this pressure that causes people to spend so much money on diets, health foods, supplements and gym subscriptions – we all want to look good. For celebrities this pressure is magnified many times as they are constantly in the public eye and are naturally judged for the way that they look more than other people. This means that many celebrities succumb to eating disorders in an effort to stay slim and be judged to be one of the beautiful people. Many struggle with problems with their eating habits including eating less, extreme overeating, purging and abuse of laxatives, but some also have issues with over-exercising. The following seven celebrities have had issues with eating disorders in the past.
Nicole Richie
A classic name in the famous-for-being-famous category of celebrity, Lionel Richie’s adopted daughter placed her life constantly in the spotlight with a seemingly endless run of reality TV shows. She has always denied having anorexia but her intensely slim figure shows all the signs of not eating enough to the point where it becomes unhealthy. This combined with her obvious abuse of drugs and alcohol has led to her having serious problems.
Alanis Morrisette
The ‘Ironic’ singer reportedly had her share of problems with anorexia while she was trying to break into the music industry. When you are trying to make a name for yourself in such a competitive business it’s not surprising that many people find themselves under pressure to look a certain way. Alanis saw a therapist to get over her problems with her health – she has publicly blamed overbearing men putting pressure on her at the beginning of her career. She now campaigns for women’s rights on the issue.
Victoria Beckham
Of course we all know Posh Spice, Mrs David Beckham, and the rumours that bounded around during her days in the Spice Girls. At the time she denied entirely that she had any problems with eating disorders, but has since admitted that she did have a problem. Spice Girls’ management pushed for the girls to be as thin as possible, and Victoria suffered the most, pushing herself to be slimmer by purging and heavily calorie counting.
Elton John
Elton John’s flamboyant character left him with a number of problems – he has suffered with addictions and bulimia. What makes Elton John a more unique case is the fact that he is male. Most male celebrities do not admit to having eating disorders as it is often considered to be a ‘woman’s problem’.
Anne Sexton
Anne Sexton was an American poet. She might not be a household name now, but at the time she was extremely popular. She suffered from anorexia and depression, and many of her poems revolve around feelings of starvation. Her feelings of hopelessness did not stem from her celebrity, but nevertheless, the pressure of life in the public eye cannot have helped.
Diana, Princess of Wales
Princess Diana gave a heartfelt speech on her problems with bulimia and self-mutilation in 1994, she was already loved by the British public for her humanitarian efforts, but this revelation gained her even more sympathy.
Mary-Kate Olsen
It had often been suggested that Mary-Kate was struggling with an eating disorder. She had been intensely skinny and when she did finally check herself into a clinic for treatment it did not come as a surprise to many people. She has since recovered and overcome the disease.