What Are EDs?

What Are EDs?

 The following provides basic information about the three eating disorders that will be discussed on this website, as well as a discussion on disordered eating. Please remember that eating disorders are very serious as an estimated 10-20% of those suffering have died from their eating disorder or complications arising from it. Often there is damage done to the body that cannot be seen on the outside; and just because you feel ok doesn't mean you are ok.
**The following information has been taken from the EDAP website (http://www.edap.org/)

 

ANOREXIA NERVOSA     BULIMIA NERVOSA    

BINGE-EATING DISORDER     DISORDERED EATING

 

Anorexia Nervosa
(top)

Anorexia nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.

Anorexia has five primary symptoms:
-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 in girls and women post-puberty.
-Extreme concern with body weight and shape.
-The chances for recovery increase the earlier anorexia nervosa is detected. Therefore, it is important to be aware of some of the warning signs of anorexia nervosa.

Warning Signs of Anorexia:
-Dramatic weight loss.
-Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat grams, and dieting.
-Refusal to eat certain foods, progressing to restrictions against whole categories of food (i.e., no carbohydrates, etc.).
-Frequent comments about feeling "fat" or overweight despite weight loss.
-Anxiety about gaining weight or being "fat."
-Denial of hunger.
-Development of food rituals (i.e., eating foods in certain orders, excessive chewing, rearranging food on a plate).
-Consistent excuses to avoid mealtimes or situations involving food.
-Excessive, rigid exercise regimen--despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury, the need to "burn off" calories taken in.
-Withdrawal from usual friends and activities.

In general, behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns.

Health Consequences of Anorexia Nervosa:
Anorexia nervosa involves self-starvation. The body is denied the essential nutrients it needs to function normally, so it is forced to slow down all of its processes to conserve energy. This "slowing down" can have serious medical consequences:
-Abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which mean that the heart muscle is changing. The risk for heart failure rises as heart rate and blood pressure levels sink lower and lower.
-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, hair loss is common.
-Growth of a downy layer of hair called lanugo all over the body, including the face, in an effort to keep the body warm.

About Anorexia
-Approximately 90-95% of anorexia nervosa sufferers are girls and women (Gidwani, 1997).
-Between 1-2% of American women suffer from anorexia nervosa (Zerbe, 1995).
-Anorexia nervosa is one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses in young women (Hsu, 1996).
-Between 5-20% of individuals struggling with anorexia nervosa will die. The probabilities of death increases within that range depending on the length of the condition (Zerbe, 1995).
-Anorexia nervosa has one of the highest death rates of any mental health condition.
-Anorexia nervosa typically appears in early to mid-adolescence.
top

 

Bulimia Nervosa
(top)

Bulimia has three primary symptoms:
-Eating large quantities of food in short periods of time, often secretly, without regard to feelings of "hunger" or "fullness," and to the point of feeling "out of control" while eating. -Following these "binges" with some form of purging or compensatory behavior to make up for the excessive calories taken in: self-induced vomiting, laxative or diuretic abuse, fasting, and/or obsessive or compulsive exercise. -Extreme concern with body weight and shape. -The chances for recovery increase the earlier bulimia nervosa is detected. Therefore, it is important to be aware of some of the warning signs of bulimia nervosa.

Warning Signs of Bulimia:
-Evidence of binge-eating, including disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time or the existence of wrappers and containers indicating the consumption of large amounts of food.
-Evidence of purging behaviors, including frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs and/or smells of vomiting, presence of wrappers or packages of laxatives or diuretics.
-Excessive, rigid exercise regimen--despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury, the need to "burn off" calories taken in.
-Unusual swelling of the cheeks or jaw area.
-Calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles from self-induced vomiting.
-Discoloration or staining of the teeth.
-Creation of complex lifestyle schedules or rituals to make time for binge-and-purge sessions.
-Withdrawal from usual friends and activities.
In general, behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns.

Health Consequences of Bulimia:
Bulimia nervosa can be extremely harmful to the body. The recurrent binge-and-purge cycles can impact the entire digestive system and can lead to electrolyte and chemical imbalances in the body that affect the heart and other major organ functions. Some of the health consequences of bulimia nervosa include:
-Electrolyte imbalances that can lead to irregular heartbeats and possibly heart failure and death. Electrolyte imbalance is caused by dehydration and loss of potassium and sodium from the body as a result of purging behaviors.
-Potential for gastric rupture during periods of bingeing. Inflammation and possible rupture of the esophagus from frequent vomiting.
-Tooth decay and staining from stomach acids released during frequent vomiting.
-Chronic irregular bowel movements and constipation as a result of laxative abuse.
-Peptic ulcers and pancreatitis.

About Bulimia:
-Bulimia nervosa affects 1-3% of middle and high school girls and 1-4% of college age women.
-Approximately 80% of bulimia nervosa patients are female (Gidwani, 1997).
-People struggling with bulimia nervosa will often appear to be of average body weight.
-Often, people struggling with bulimia nervosa will develop complex schedules or rituals to provide opportunities for binge-and-purge sessions.
-Many people struggling with bulimia nervosa recognize that their behaviors are unusual and perhaps dangerous to their health.
top

 

Binge-Eating Disorder
(top)

Binge Eating Disorder has several primary symptoms:
-Frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food in short periods of time often secretly, without regard to feelings of "hunger" or "fullness."
-Frequent feelings of being "out of control" during binges.
-Eating large quantities of food rapidly, without really tasting the food.
-Eating alone.
-Feelings of shame, disgust, or guilt after a binge.

Health Consequences of Binge Eating Disorder:
Binge eating disorder often results in some of the health risks associated with clinical obesity. Some of the potential health consequences of binge eating disorder include:
-High blood pressure
-High cholesterol levels
-Heart disease as a result of elevated triglyceride levels
-Secondary diabetes
-Gallbladder disease

About Binge Eating Disorder:
-The prevalence of binge eating disorder in the general population is still being determined. Researchers estimate that approximately 25% of obese individuals suffer from frequent episodes of binge eating (Fairburn, 1998).
-Binge eating disorder affects women slightly more often than men--estimates indicate that about 60% of people struggling with binge eating disorder are female, 40% are male (NIH, 1993).
-People who struggle with binge eating disorder can be of normal or heavier than average weight.
-Many people who suffer from binge eating disorder have a history of depression (NIH, 1993).
-People struggling with binge eating disorder often express distress, shame, and guilt over their eating behaviors.
top

 

Disordered Eating
(top)

To make one thing clear: IT IS NOT NORMAL TO BE DIETING ALL THE TIME! Nor is it normal to be constantly thinking about food, obsessing over calories, over-exercising, or exercising purely to burn off calories.
top

 

 

 

 

References:
Fairburn, C. (1998). A Clinical Perspective: Why All the Fuss? Published on the web site of the National Eating Disorders Organization.
Gidwani, G.P. and Rome, E.S. (1997). Eating Disorders. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 40(3), 601-615.
Hsu, G.L.K. (1996). Epidemiology of the Eating Disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 19(4), 681-697.
Levine, M. (1994). "A Short List of Salient Warning Signs for Eating Disorders." Presented at the 13th National NEDO Conference, Columbus, Ohio.
NIH (1993). Binge Eating Disorder. National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases. November 1993. Publication # 94-3589.
Zerbe, K.J. (1995). The Body Betrayed. Carlsbad, CA: Gürze Books.