Radio host accused of ‘encouraging’ eating disorders defends comments

She told listeners she doesn't eat breakfast and consumes just a single avocado at lunch

(Alamy Stock Photo)

An Australian radio host who was accused of ‘encouraging’ eating disorders has defended her original comments, which she made in reference to her weight loss regime.

Breakfast host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson recently lost 10kg and credited this to a diet change.

Speaking on her daily show with co-host Kyle Sandilands, Henderson revealed the details of her current diet, which critics likened to “starvation” given that she said she doesn’t eat until midday, despite starting her working day at 5am.

“I don’t eat breakfast, I don’t see the point in eating breakfast,” she begins.

“I don’t eat until midday. Then an avocado. A whole one every day for lunch.”

Meanwhile, she added that her typical dinner consists of “chicken breast and a couple of veggies.”

Henderson's comments sparked a furore amongst body positive activists and nutritionists, who expressed concerns that Henderson was “normalising” an unhealthy and unsustainable way of eating.

“I am fairly concerned about the demographic of listeners that heard that. Her lack of awareness is very worrying,” said body image charity The Butterfly Foundation ambassador Mia Findlay.

“Most would classify that as a starvation diet. People need to remember because she has power and a large audience, that does not make you knowledgeable,” she told The Daily Telegraph in Australia.

“It is too simple to say that her discourse causes eating disorders but it definitely enables them.

“It encourages eating disorders, it reinforces bad eating habits.”

Henderson responded to the criticisms on her show on Tuesday, explaining that she doesn’t stick to that diet plan every day.

“Maybe what I should have clarified is while I’m doing that on some days, I don’t eat that every single day. If we want pizza, I’ll have pizza. If we want to go out for a pho, I’ll eat that,” she said, referring to her and her husband, British photographer Lee Henderson.

“If I wake up and I’m hungry, I’ll have toast. Last night we had Vietnamese. It wasn’t like I just had vegetables. I had rice, I had beef, I had a roti with curry.

Henderson added that she lost the 10kg over the course of a year and still allows herself occasional indulgences, citing crisps as her ultimate vice.

However, the 42-year-old radio host explained that she stands by her original comments and proceeded to exalt the virtues of eating an avocado for lunch.

“It makes me feel good,” she said.

“I’m not starving myself by any means. I would never condone that. I don’t want anyone out there starving themselves to lose weight.

“I do believe that on the days that I eat less, I feel better about myself and I feel healthier. I feel healthy compared to a year ago. I felt terrible, I had no energy. I feel a lot better and healthier and I won’t apologise for that.”