Looking Good: Teenagers and Eating Disorders

Venera Fazio is a social worker and freelance writer in Rothesay, N.B.

Marion Crook is a nurse by profession and the author of other
counselling books. For this book, she interviewed 22 women, between the
ages of 16 and 29, from different cities across the country. She met
other sufferers of anorexia and bulimia by attending meetings of a
support group.

“Essentially, anorexia and bulimia are not about foods,” Crook
writes; “they are about emotions.” Emotional problems are rooted in
family relationships. Half of the women interviewed for this book were
sexually abused as children; a majority had divorced or separated
parents; all lack self-esteem.

In addition to seeking to understand the origins of eating disorders,
Looking Good offers practical advice to sufferers and suggests
preventive measures that can be taken by those in danger of developing
the disease. Teens and parent alike will benefit from this helpful,
easy-to-read, and compassionate book.