EATING DISORDER PATIENTS MAKE PEACE WITH THEIR BODIES

With the help of therapists and support communities, many are looking beyond the scales and making progress

Bao Guang stood before the snack aisle, his fingers tracing the edge of a potato chip bag.

His eyes were fixed on the first line of the nutrition facts panel:2,228 kilojoules per 100 grams. Eating the contents of the bag would push his daily calorie intake over the limit he'd set for himself. In the end, he walked away.

His friends called him fat, and he agreed. Using the internationally recognized Body Mass Index, he admitted he was "beyond the range generally considered healthy".