February is Heart Month.  Also within this mid-winter month is Valentine’s Day, and Eating Disorders Prevention Week.  At first glance, these may seem unrelated, but upon closer examination, they are intertwined.

With the media focus on American Heart Disease, obesity, and dieting, there is an emphasis on weight loss for the sake of preventing coronary artery disease.  At the same time, the food and weight obsession of teenage girls in particular and women in general has connected dieting with acceptance of body and self while encouraging eating disorders. Read more