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'What's Eating You?' docu-series on E! to tackle eating disorders

By April MacIntyre May 12, 2010, 19:44 GMT

This picture by photographer Laura Pannack, United Kingdom, Lisa Pritchard Agency for The Guardian Weekend magazine, won 1st prize Portraits Singles in the World Press Photo of the Year 2009 contest, The subject is Graham, an anorexic teenager. EPA/LAURA PANNACK

E! will air a docu-series that will tackle eating disorders this coming fall 2010.

E!’s True Hollywood Stories of Karen Carpenter outlined the anorexia of the pop star, who starved herself to death.  Now E! will run a six-part documentary series about eating disorders titled, "What's Eating You?" to tackle common and bizarre eating problems.

E! released a sample of what to expect:

"A woman who eats a roll of toilet paper dipped in pickle juice every night before bed; another who lives in seclusion and feels compelled to eat twigs, pencil erasers and super-glue; and an aspiring model whose body is so starved that she physically smells because her body literally is eating itself alive."

According to E!:

“I know that I speak for everyone at E! when I say how proud we are to welcome this important program to our network," said Lisa Berger, the network's executive vp of Having It Both Ways. "The prevalence of eating disorders is all too common in a society that can often value looks and appearance above all else."

According to WomensHealth.gov

The effects of anorexia

The severe calorie restriction of anorexia has dire physical effects. When the body doesn’t get the fuel it needs to function normally, it goes into starvation mode. It slows down to conserve energy and turns in on itself for essential nutrients.

In essence, the body begins to consume itself. As the self-starvation continues and more body fat is lost, the medical complications pile up.
The first physical signs and effects of anorexia are:

    * Loss of menstrual periods
    * Lack of energy and weakness
    * Feeling cold all the time
    * Dry, yellowish skin

    * Constipation and abdominal pain
    * Restlessness and insomnia
    * Dizziness, bad breath, fainting, and headaches
    * Growth of fine hair (Lanugo) all over the body and face