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| Prescott tells of bulimia battle | Prescott tells of bulimia battle |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Ex-deputy prime minister John Prescott has confessed to suffering from the eating disorder bulimia. | Ex-deputy prime minister John Prescott has confessed to suffering from the eating disorder bulimia. |
| He writes in the Sunday Times that he used to gorge on food and then vomit. | He writes in the Sunday Times that he used to gorge on food and then vomit. |
| He explains how he could "sup a whole tin of condensed milk", eat trifles "for ever" and eat his way through his favourite Chinese restaurant's menu. | He explains how he could "sup a whole tin of condensed milk", eat trifles "for ever" and eat his way through his favourite Chinese restaurant's menu. |
| Mr Prescott said he had not previously spoken of the disorder "out of shame", partly because it was associated with women. One cause was stress, he added. | Mr Prescott said he had not previously spoken of the disorder "out of shame", partly because it was associated with women. One cause was stress, he added. |
| What I did was stuff my face with anything around, any old rubbish, burgers, chocolate, crisps, fish and chips, loads of it, till I felt sick John Prescott | What I did was stuff my face with anything around, any old rubbish, burgers, chocolate, crisps, fish and chips, loads of it, till I felt sick John Prescott |
| "I've never confessed it before," the 69-year-old explains. | "I've never confessed it before," the 69-year-old explains. |
| "Out of shame, I suppose, or embarrassment or just because it's such a strange thing for someone like me to confess to. | "Out of shame, I suppose, or embarrassment or just because it's such a strange thing for someone like me to confess to. |
| "People normally associate it with young women - anorexic girls, models trying to keep their weight down, or women in stressful situations, like Princess Diana." | "People normally associate it with young women - anorexic girls, models trying to keep their weight down, or women in stressful situations, like Princess Diana." |
| Mr Prescott, who stepped down from Labour's front bench last year, said people would never suspect he suffered from the disorder and that some could accuse him of not being "a very successful bulimic" because his weight did not drop. | Mr Prescott, who stepped down from Labour's front bench last year, said people would never suspect he suffered from the disorder and that some could accuse him of not being "a very successful bulimic" because his weight did not drop. |
| He said he began binging and vomiting during his years in the shadow cabinet in the 1980s, but the condition got worse when Labour came to power in 1997. | He said he began binging and vomiting during his years in the shadow cabinet in the 1980s, but the condition got worse when Labour came to power in 1997. |
| "So what I did was stuff my face with anything around, any old rubbish, burgers, chocolate, crisps, fish and chips, loads of it, till I felt sick - but at least I'd had the pleasure of stuffing my face and feeling really full. | "So what I did was stuff my face with anything around, any old rubbish, burgers, chocolate, crisps, fish and chips, loads of it, till I felt sick - but at least I'd had the pleasure of stuffing my face and feeling really full. |
| "Then there would be a weird kind of pleasure in vomiting and feeling relieved." | "Then there would be a weird kind of pleasure in vomiting and feeling relieved." |
| Secret eating | Secret eating |
| He continued: "I could sup a whole tin of Carnation condensed milk, just for the taste, stupid things like that. Marks & Spencer trifles, I still love them, one of my favourites. I can eat them for ever. | He continued: "I could sup a whole tin of Carnation condensed milk, just for the taste, stupid things like that. Marks & Spencer trifles, I still love them, one of my favourites. I can eat them for ever. |
| Archive footage of John Prescott | |
| "Whenever I go to Mr Chu's in Hull, my favourite Chinese restaurant in the whole world . . . I could eat my way through the entire menu." | "Whenever I go to Mr Chu's in Hull, my favourite Chinese restaurant in the whole world . . . I could eat my way through the entire menu." |
| He speaks of trying to hide his bulimia from colleagues and his wife, Pauline. | He speaks of trying to hide his bulimia from colleagues and his wife, Pauline. |
| "I thought, of course, I was being clever, and no-one would ever know, but Pauline realised in the end. The signs in the toilet gave it away, and all the missing food." | "I thought, of course, I was being clever, and no-one would ever know, but Pauline realised in the end. The signs in the toilet gave it away, and all the missing food." |
| Seventeen years ago Mrs Prescott persuaded her husband to get help from the House of Commons doctor and he was sent on to a consultant. | Seventeen years ago Mrs Prescott persuaded her husband to get help from the House of Commons doctor and he was sent on to a consultant. |
| My weight, though, is still over 15 stone - as I do love my food - but I try not to snack between meals and to eat at sensible times John Prescott | My weight, though, is still over 15 stone - as I do love my food - but I try not to snack between meals and to eat at sensible times John Prescott |
| "I turned up and found his waiting room full of young women. I was the only man there. I felt a right twerp. Luckily none of them shopped me to the press. | "I turned up and found his waiting room full of young women. I was the only man there. I felt a right twerp. Luckily none of them shopped me to the press. |
| "Perhaps they thought I was on a fact-finding mission, never for one moment thinking that a man of my age and build could be suffering from bulimia nervosa, but that's what the consultant said I had." | "Perhaps they thought I was on a fact-finding mission, never for one moment thinking that a man of my age and build could be suffering from bulimia nervosa, but that's what the consultant said I had." |
| He received treatment, but he continued to be bulimic when he became deputy prime minister in 1997. | He received treatment, but he continued to be bulimic when he became deputy prime minister in 1997. |
| But now he says he has not suffered from the disorder for a year and exercises in the gym for 45 minutes a day. | But now he says he has not suffered from the disorder for a year and exercises in the gym for 45 minutes a day. |
| "My weight, though, is still over 15 stone - as I do love my food - but I try not to snack between meals and to eat at sensible times." | "My weight, though, is still over 15 stone - as I do love my food - but I try not to snack between meals and to eat at sensible times." |
| Mr Prescott, who also has diabetes, is now supporting the National Health Service's awareness campaign on food disorders. | Mr Prescott, who also has diabetes, is now supporting the National Health Service's awareness campaign on food disorders. |
| "I hope that it will encourage people to come out and discuss these matters and not suffer in silence," he says. | "I hope that it will encourage people to come out and discuss these matters and not suffer in silence," he says. |