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Eating Disorders: The Other Side of Weight Associated Problems

Posted on Monday, June 4th, 2007

Bad eating habits can lead to many diseases and unhealthy consequences. While the majority of the stress and efforts are being oriented towards “obesity” treatment and prevention, other weight associated problems referred to as Eating Disorders are of outmost importance. This is a major source of concern since prevalence of Eating Disorders is increasing in the general population and namely in children and adolescents. This situation is as alarming, if not more, as the obesity epidemic since it is associated with major health problems and in some extreme cases death.

What is an Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders are serious, life- threatening conditions that tend to be chronic. Eating disorders usually arise in adolescence, sometimes even in childhood. They affect females more than males although the number of affected males is not negligible.

Eating disorders are expressed as extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating. Another group is referred to as “eating disorder not otherwise specified” EDNOS, this pertains to those who do not meet the criteria for neither anorexia nor bulimia but have problematic eating habits, this condition is mostly seen in adolescents.

Why are Eating disorders in adolescents a major source of concern?

Eating disorders effect individuals on multiple levels: physical, psychological and social. These include weight preoccupation, inappropriate eating behavior, and body image distortion. Many people with eating disorders experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and childhood sexual abuse, and may be at risk for osteoporosis and heart problems. Moreover, death rates are among the highest for any mental illness.

The consequences of eating disorders can be severe – one in 10 cases of anorexia nervosa leads to death from starvation, cardiac arrest, other medical complications, or suicide.

Some of the health complications resulting from chronic eating disorder are:

  • Heart problems caused by low heart rate that might lead to weakening of heart muscles. Also heart failure may be result of electrolyte depletion due to frequent vomiting.
  • Stomach and intestines complications such as stomach rupture.
  • Hormonal problems leading to absence of menstrual cycle.
  • Increased risk for suicidal behavior.
  • Reduction of bone density (osteoporosis), which results in dry, brittle bones.
  • Muscle loss and weakness.
  • Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure.
  • Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness.
  • Dry hair and skin and hair loss.
  • Tooth decay and staining from stomach acids released during frequent vomiting.

Who and how many do these disorders affect in the population?

Currently, eating disorders affect almost 5 percent of all young women in the United States. In addition more than 15 percent of young women have unhealthy attitudes and behaviors about food. Of those women diagnosed with an eating disorder, around 90 percent are adolescents. Anorexia nervosa one of the listed Eating Disorder, ranks as the third most common chronic illness among adolescent females in the United States.

Some Statistical figures and numbers:

In this era of esthetic importance and reference of thinness as the acceptable body image girls are starting to be weight conscious at very early stages of their development. Indeed, different studies showed that:

  • Seventy percent of sixth-grade girls surveyed said that they first became concerned about their weight between the ages of 9 and 11.
  • Thirty to fifty five percent of surveyed school girls said that they started dieting when they were in middle school.
  • In a study of children aged 8 to 10, approximately half the girls and one-third of the boys were unhappy with their size.
  • In a study of girls aged 9 to 15, slightly more than half reported exercising to lose weight, slightly less than half reported eating less to lose weight, and approximately 1 out of 20 reported using diet pills or laxatives to lose weight.
  • A study showed that 40 percent of fourth graders have been on a “diet” once in awhile. About 1 out of every 100 females between the ages of 10 and 20 are not eating enough and should be seeing a doctor.

What causes the development of an eating disorder?

So far experts and research do not know the exact reason on how people get an eating disorder. What is known is that the development of these disorders is the result of many factors.

Many people with eating disorders have low self-esteem and suffer from depression and feel a lack of control over their own lives. They usually experience the following emotions; fear of becoming fat, feelings of not measuring up to other people’s expectations and feeling of helplessness.

People with eating disorders often use food and the control of food in an attempt to compensate for overwhelming feelings and emotions. Controlling food intake using any of the following techniques such as dieting, bingeing, and purging may begin as a way to cope with painful emotions and to feel in control of one’s life. Dieting is a major player in the development of eating disorder as it has been identified as common entry point in both anorexia and bulimia nervosa, with the greatest risk being the group of severe dieters. Eating disorders often run in families. Current research is indicates that there are significant genetic contributions to eating disorders.

What are the different types of eating disorder?

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder in which people intentionally starve themselves. It causes extreme weight loss defined as at least 15 percent below the individual’s normal body weight. Food and weight become obsessions. Compulsiveness may cause strange eating rituals or the refusal to eat in front of others.

Symptoms include:

  • Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height, body type, age, and activity level
  • Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat”
  • Feeling “fat” or overweight despite dramatic weight loss
  • Loss of menstrual periods
  • Extreme concern with body weight and shape
  • Low body weight (less than 85 percent of normal weight for height and age)
  • Distorted view of one’s body weight, size, or shape; sees self as too fat, even when very underweight; expresses feeling fat, even when very thin
  • Excessive physical activity
  • Denial of hunger
  • Preoccupation with food preparation
  • Bizarre eating behaviors

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is defined as uncontrolled episodes of overeating (bingeing) and usually followed by an extreme behavior to get rid of ingested calories. The most common technique is purging (self-induced vomiting), other adopted methods include misuse of laxatives, enemas, or medications that cause increased production of urine, fasting, or excessive exercise to control weight.

Symptoms include:

  • Repeated episodes of bingeing and purging (usually secretive)
  • Feeling out of control during a binge and eating beyond the point of comfortable fullness
  • Frequent dieting
  • Extreme concern with body weight and shape
  • Usually have a normal or low body weight (sees self as overweight)
  • Excessive exercise or fasting
  • Peculiar eating habits or rituals
  • Inappropriate use of laxatives, diuretics , or other cathartics
  • Irregular or absence of menstruation
  • Anxiety
  • Discouraged feelings related to dissatisfaction with themselves and their bodily appearance
  • Depression
  • Scarring on the back of the fingers from the process of self-induced vomiting
  • Overachieving behaviors

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge Eating Disorder is defined by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling fullness. Usually the episodes of overeating are not followed by a compensatory behavior such as seen in bulimia. Body weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity.

What are the current treatments for eating disorders?

Eating disorders are treatable and people do recover from them. They are most successfully treated when treated early. Eating disorders are usually treated with a combination of individual therapy, family therapy, behavior modification, and nutritional rehabilitation.

Treatment is always tailored according to the patient needs and his environment, mainly his family. Individual therapy usually includes both cognitive and behavioral techniques. In the cases where the patient suffers from depression or anxiety, medications (usually antidepressants or antianxiolytics) are helpful.

Although the treatment of eating disorders involves a group of professionals such as physicians, nutritionists, psychiatrists and social workers, families play a vital supportive role in any treatment process.

Indeed, the latest intervention strategies for the treatment of eating disorders are family-based outpatient strategies which involve the direct participation of parents in their home setting. One of these interventions is referred to as the Maudsley Approach. The Maudsley approach is an intensive outpatient treatment where parents play an active and positive role in order to:

  • Help restore their child’s weight to normal levels expected given their adolescent’s age and height
  • Hand the control over eating back to the adolescent
  • Encourage normal adolescent development through an in-depth discussion of these crucial developmental issues as they pertain to their child.

How to get help?

If you think that you or somebody you know may have an eating disorder, get help! Don’t wait and don’t try to deal with the problem by yourself. Talk to a parent or other trusted adult like a counselor, coach, relative, or teacher.

There are many organizations and associations that can help people, parents or friends facing these problems. A list of these are provided on the Girl Power! web site.

For further information and helpful links go to:

This entry was posted on Monday, June 4th, 2007 and is filed under News and Tips.