 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
What's Eating You
- E!
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Gritty, up-close docu about overcoming eating disorders.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this docu-series -- which follows adults suffering from an array of eating disorders and food compulsions and shows how they are attempting to overcome them -- includes gritty images of people taking massive amounts of laxatives, eating toilet paper, and other potentially distrurbing behaviors. Yelling, screaming, and crying sometimes results from tough therapy sessions and/or exchanges with family (with words like “s--t” and “f--k” fully bleeped). People occasionally appear in their underwear. All of this is accompanied by important messages about getting well and being healthy. Parents may want to watch with their teens.
What's the story?
WHAT’S EATING YOU is a six-part documentary that follows adults trying to save themselves from life-threatening eating disorders. Cameras follow men and women who are battling medical conditions ranging from anorexia nervosa and bulimia to lesser known obsessive food rituals and compulsions. With the help of therapists, medical doctors, and dieticians, they attempt to confront their disorder, rebuild their relationship with food, and work towards living a longer and healthier life.
Is it any good?
The series offers viewers a gritty look into the worlds of people trapped by their dysfunctional relationship with food and eating. It also offers a chance to learn more about eating disorders and who develops them. The experts on the show underscore the fact that an eating disorder is a symptom of a larger problem, and that a person cannot be successful in treating it if they are not willing to confront the problem.
The series is a little voyeuristic, and scenes of people taking large amounts of laxatives, struggling to swallow small bits of food, and compulsively eating things like chalk and toilet paper, are often difficult to watch. But they are offered as a way of providing insight into what these people are going through, and are accompanied by important messages about recovery. Given all of this, viewers may be left wondering why this reality-doc is being aired on a network known for promoting idealized celebrity images that some would say contribute to the distorted way some people feel about their bodies.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about eating disorders. What causes the onset of an eating disorder? What’s the difference between a compulsion and a disorder? How does the media contribute to a person’s relationship with food and/or his/her body image?
Talk about who gets eating disorders. Do girls develop eating disorders more than boys
do? Kids: If you suspect that you or someone you know has an eating
disorder, what should you do? Parents: how can you help your kids
develop and maintain a positive body image?Talk about the people in this series. Why do you think they agreed to appear on the show? Do you think they are being exploited, or are they helping others by sharing their stories?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
This show brings to the surface deadly disorders that America is afraid to address. I applaud the media for tackling these eating disorders especially on a very popular network.
It is also great at showing us how someone got an eating disorder. How it comes from some sort of hurt with the persons interpersonal life especially occurring at a young age.
This show may be uncomfortable for a parent to watch if they have an eating disorder and doesn't want to tell their spouse or significant other or is still hiding it from their child. So, make sure if you watch this show with your 16 year old that you are comfortable talking to them about this subject.
From experience the people in the show are very accurately depicted with their struggles.
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AGE
Have to be comfortable talking about it, really good message though!
I'm 12, pretty mature though. This show is really great, and it's good to know that there is still hope for people suffering from life-threatening eating disorders. I wouldn't recommend it for most tweens- it can be disturbing to watch at times.
P.S. Trying to overcome an eating problem.
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | E! |
| Cast: | Camille Mager, Julie Anne, Keri Glassman |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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