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Eating Disorder Introduction |
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American culture is
obsessed with body image. From a
very young age, the idea of what is
beautiful is driven home and
children strive to meet this
distorted goal. The diet, and
diet-related industry, is a 40
billion dollar a year enterprise.
With this much monetary value, it
begs the question, which came
first, the obsession with body image
or the drive to profit from an
idealistic image of beauty? [1] Although one cannot point fingers
solely at the media for being the
driving force behind eating
disorders, it is important to
examine the effects that pop culture
has on the psyche. |
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The most common
eating disorders are anorexia
nervosa (AN) and bulimia
nervosa (BN). T hese are
considered psychiatric conditions
characterized by abnormal eating
behavior, abnormal weight regulation
and conflicting attitudes toward
body weight and shape.
Those suffering from
anorexia and bulimia
are in constant pursuit of a thin
physique, resulting in a weight that
is not appropriate for their age and
weight. Of those suffering from
anorexia, there is a fear of
becoming ‘fat' despite their
thinness. In fact, often people with
anorexia nervosa weigh 85% or less
of the norm for their height and age
group, and disregard the dangers of
being so underweight. These
disorders commonly affect females.
The highest population affected is
younger women, often between the ages of 12
and 25. [2]
Athletics can be a
motivating factor for both of these
disorders and the behavior of
compulsive exercise is common in
those with anorexia. Periods of
intense and excessive exercise
produce brain chemicals called
endorphins that make us feel good
and can mask pain as well. The
combination of starvation and
intense exercise may produce a high
feeling, creating another addictive
component in an already addictive
pattern. Unfortunately, this
behavior has damaging physiological
affects. The body's
protein stores are broken down for
fuel, essentially leading to a "wasting"
phenomenon.
The origin of the
word bulimia means
"nervous hunger". Common to bulimia
are cycles of binge eating,
consuming large amounts of food at
one time followed by purging, and
regurgitation of the same food in
order to avoid gaining weight.
Those
that partake in this binge-purge
cycle can consume anywhere from
1,000 to 20,000 calories in one
episode (any 2 hour period), and
then use self-induced vomiting,
laxatives, enemas, excessive
exercise or other medications to
counteract weight gain. In bulimics,
these
episodes occur two times
a week, on average, for a period of three months.
Additionally, many persons that suffer from bulimia
also suffer from anorexia. A
motivating factor of those with
bulimia is the belief that this
behavior will prevent weight gain,
however often the opposite occurs
(due to complex physiologic
conditions) which leads to the
potentiation of the cycle.
Causes of these
eating disorders are multi-factoral. Psychological state, socio-cultural
influences, possible genetic
influence, and physiological
imbalances all play a part in the development
of these conditions. Due to the
variability in causative factors,
treatment approaches are also
multi-faceted. Interventions range
from psychological assessment and
treatment, to addressing body image
issues and low self esteem. Nutritional and lifestyle counseling
is also a common therapy used to reverse the damage done by
periods of self abuse.
These conditions are
very serious in nature and should
not be taken lightly.
It should be noted
that those suspected to be suffering
from eating disorders should be
managed by a physician, as there are
a multitude of health related
conditions associated with these
disorders. A full physical exam is
required to rule out other physical
disorders and a comprehensive
diagnostic interview must be
performed by a licensed mental
health professional, so that an
official diagnosis may be made.
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Symptoms of Anemia and Bulimia
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Common Signs and
Symptoms for Anorexia Nervosa and
Bulimia Nervosa:
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Fear of being fat,
or gaining weight
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Obsessive behavior
around food, weight, and
appearance
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compulsive food
habits and rituals
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Feeling cold, even
in warm weather, due to
electrolyte imbalance, and or lack
of body fat
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Long absences, or
unexplained disappearances after
meals
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Swollen glands
under the chin (from vomiting)
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Bloodshot eyes, and
popped blood vessels around the
eye area (from vomiting)
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Anemia
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Cooking food
excessively for others and
obsession with recipes
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Impulsive/compulsive erratic
behavior in all areas of life
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Severe mood swings
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Hyperactivity
and/or lethargic behavior
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Anxiety, low self
esteem, and depression (often
masked)
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Teeth problems from
increased acidic levels from
starving and/or vomiting
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Scars on knuckles
from vomiting
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Perfectionism and
restrictive behavior
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Constant
conversation about weight, food,
and calories
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Seeks approval of
others and relationships
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Social withdrawal
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Wearing baggy
clothes to hide their body for
fear of being perceived as fat
(even if underweight)
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Fear of adult
responsibilities
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Ineffective coping
skills with life problems
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Absence of
menstruation [2]
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Eating Disorder Statistics |
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The average woman is
5"4' and weighs 140 pounds. The
average model is 5"11' and weighs
117 pounds. Most fashion models are
thinner than 98% of American women. [3]
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0.5% - 3.7% of
females suffer from anorexia nervosa
in their lifetime and 1.1% - 4.2% of
females suffer from bulimia nervosa
in their lifetime. [4]
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Men develop eating
disorders; yet, the occurrence of
such diseases is less frequent, with
only 10% of all anorexics and
bulimics are men. [5]
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Without proper
medical intervention many will die;
10%-25% of all those battling
anorexia will die as a direct result
of the eating disorder.[6]
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Learn More About
Eating Disorder |
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