Eating disorder drives teen to suicide

London: A teenager killed herself after developing an eating disorder and depression when she became paranoid about her weight and looks.

Adele Sale, 18, a "compassionate and sensitive" girl, had already made two suicide attempts when she took a fatal overdose of sleeping tablets.

The pretty brunette was found dead at home by her mother.

The 5ft 8in car dealership worker is understood to have weighed just seven stone when she died, giving her a body mass index of 14.7. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 25.

Her mother yesterday called for catwalk models and other role models for young girls to be more representative of normal people.

"They are a big influence on young girls and they should be more like typical people," said Alison Sale, 45, a horse charity worker from Beccles, near Lowestoft in Suffolk.

She also criticised supermodel Kate Moss, who last month caused uproar by proclaiming "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" — a mantra often used by people with eating disorders.

"That is definitely not going to help young people who are struggling to cope. They need proper guidance," she said.

Alison Sale added: "Cherish your children because you never know what they're going to do. Just be there for them, listen to them, and don't shrug them off when they really need to talk to you."

Adele's grandfather Ken Sale, a district councillor, added: "So many youngsters go in for this slimming or think that's how they should be.

Message

"I'd like to send out the message for youngsters not to be so silly and worried about how they look."

Adele was diagnosed with bulimia and depression 18 months ago while still a pupil at her local comprehensive, Sir John Leman High School.

Her mother later discovered the teenager had previously confided in a family friend and had been deeply insecure for several years.

"She always looked perfect in her dress but she was suffering so much behind her clothes and face. Adele had a very good mask," said Alison Sale, who lives with husband Steven, 46, and son Marcus, 21.

Secret confessions

"Her depression started when she went to school but I didn't even know it. It was when she became more conscious of her figure and looks but I just thought it was a teenage thing. You don't know what's in their minds.

"Adele would eat her tea and then go up and have a shower and be sick. We were really close but that's something she couldn't tell me. She didn't want to worry me."

It was only when the family friend told Alison Sale about her daughter's secret confessions that she realised the full extent of her suffering. "She was always thinly built and she lost a bit more weight but I didn't realise it was a problem at the time," she added.

"When I found out I took her to the doctor and a dietician came and talked to her once a week and, I thought, had got her back on the right route."