The number individuals who are diagnosed with an eating disorder has doubled in the United States in the last 20 years. Approximately 0.3 to 3% of the female adolescent population in the U.S. currently have an eating disorder. However, this problem does not only affect women, 5 to 15 percent of people affected with an eating disorder are male.
What is an eating disorder?
Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. Eating Disorders include: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive overeating.
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized primarily by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.
Other symptoms of include:
· Loss of at least 15% of body weight
· Intense fear of weight gain
· Distorted body image
· In females, loss of three consecutive menstrual periods
· Insistence of keeping weight below a healthy minimum
The Risks of Anorexia:
· Heart attack
· Lack of normal menstruation
· Kidney failure resulting from dehydration
· Change in body hair: long, soft hair can appear on the arms and face
· Loss of muscle control
· Serious stomach pans and problems
· Osteoporosis from loss of bone calcium
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized primarily by a secretive cycle of binge eating followed by purging. An estimated 1.1% - 4.2% of females have Bulimia Nervosa in their lifetime.
Symptoms include:
· Repeated episodes of binge eating and purging
· Feeling out of control during a binge
· Purging after a binge (vomiting, use of laxatives, diet pills, excessive exercise, fasting)
· Frequent dieting
· Extreme worry about body weight and shape
The Risks of Bulimia Nervosa:
· Serious physical imbalances
· Irregular heartbeat that can lead to heart failure and death
· Torn lining of the throat, esophagus, and stomach
· Difficulty going to the bathroom from laxative abuse
· Heart failure
Compulsive Overeating is characterized primarily by periods of impulsive or continuous eating. It has been estimated that 2% and 5% of the American population experience a compulsive eating disorder in a 6 month period.
Symptoms include:
· A person may fast, or go on diet after diet
· Body weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity
The Risks of Compulsive Overeating:
· Serious weight gain
· Swelling of joints
· Stomach pain, constipation, and gas
What is the treatment for an eating disorder?
Re-feeding during recovery from severe anorexia must be done with medical supervision, so that heart attacks from suddenly low phosphate or sudden potassium shifts do not occur. Treatment usually involves a team: your doctor, a nutritionist, a counselor with expertise in eating disorders. Sometimes treatment includes hospitalization, followed by a lengthily period of follow up. Many individuals who undergo the recovery process are successful, and that is why it is important to get yourself or someone you know help if you suspect that they have an eating disorder. |
