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American Idol Controversy: Eating Disorders and the Media

The latest American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks, has been the center of a controversy. This time it wasn't about votes or who sang best, it's about her weight. It all started when a representative from National Action Against Obesity called her a vision of "unhealthy." I disagree.

What do you think? Is the media breeding eating disorders? Is it affecting adults and not just children in teens? "This kind of criticism can lead a 17-year-old girl to embrace extreme dieting that develops into a serious eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia later in life," says Trisha Gura, Ph.D. Dr. Gura joins Andrew in this episode of Patient Power® to discuss her own struggle with eating disorders. She speaks about preventing this disease, recognizing the warning signs and why it's a lifelong battle.   Listen to the interview here.

Download the interview (Right click the text link and select "Save this link as..." to download files. Or if on a Mac, hold down Control + click the link and select Save Link file as...to your hard drive).