Melinda Hutchings

There are more 40-year-old Australians in 2011 than any other age group.

As I write this, I have exactly 72 hours of experience as a 40-year-old. My birthday was a true celebration because I can't believe I've made it this far. There were periods of intense hardship when...

The Daily Mail recently reported that children as young as six have been hospitalised after suffering the effects of anorexia and other eating disorders. According to child health experts, youngsters have been admitted for treatment after they have either refused to eat, used laxatives to expunge food or...

Recent reports reveal that an eating disorder study billed as the largest analysis of U.S. teenagers ever is returning some depressingly large numbers: More than half a million have had an eating disorder, according to government research, with binge-eating the most common disorder.

In my book

In America, 42 percent of first, second and third grade girls want to lost weight and 45 percent of boys and girls in grades three through six want to be thinner.

These shocking statistics are revealed in Lauren Stern's new book "The Slender Trap: A Food and...

Anorexia stole five years of my teenage-hood. These were years I should have been dating, going to parties, applying for university and setting future goals. My school environment was competitive; the pressure to outshine was relentless. So too, was the pressure to stand out, be popular - and to be...

When I read about the tragic death of Isabelle Caro I felt deeply saddened. Along with many of my colleagues in Australia, UK and USA, I work hard to raise awareness of the dangers of dieting in an effort to reduce the incidence of eating disorders - and as someone...

In Western society, we have relative freedom of choice when it comes to thoughts and action. Yet the prevalence of eating disorders continues to climb, and the percentage of young people partaking in destructive behaviours is reaching disturbing proportions.

Today an ABC news article highlighted a recent...

Forget-me-knot Day is Friday 12 November and supports survivors of child abuse whilst at the same time, increasing awareness of sexual abuse amongst our children.

It is estimated that there are 60 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse in America today.

In Australia, 1 in 3...

Bullying has become more than just a part of growing up - it has turned into a serious issue to the point where school is no longer a safe place for our children.

The suicides of six teenage boys in the U.S. in September linked to homophobic bullying has...