The phenomenon of children suffering eating disorders has come to the attention of Kokkola’s private eating disorder clinic.

"We have a lower age limit of 13, but parents often ask if they can bring in their children, sometimes under 10 years old," says Marjo Sandvik, the clinic’s director.

Problems sometimes stem from general eating behaviour. Refusal to eat warm food can lead to trouble, for one.

Nonetheless, the most typical customers are teenage girls suffering from malnutrition and middle-aged men and women who wish to shed weight.