Body Image,
Weight Control,
Eating Disorders
Lesson 4 - DHQ
 Do
you know of any eating
disorders? What is it?
If
not, take a guess to what
might happen if someone has
an eating disorder (problem).
Body Image:
*When you look in the mirror
do you like what you see?*
If you answered Yes, you have a positive body
image
If you answered No, you have a negative body
image
 During teen years, physical changes happen rapidly and you
may feel unhappy with your body type
Where does body
image come from?
Many teens compare their bodies to those
of models, athletes, or actors
 You should always keep in mind that the
images shown in the media aren’t always
realistic…

Photoshop anyone?
Eating Disorders:
 Is a food-related dysfunction in which a person
changes eating habits in a way that is harmful to
the mind and body
 Classified as a mental illness
Three common eating disorders:
1 - Anorexia Nervosa
2 – Bulimia
3 – Binge Eating
Anorexia Nervosa:

An eating disorder in which an
irrational fear of weight gain
leads people to starve
themselves

People with anorexia see
themselves unrealistically as
overweight even when they
are dangerously thin
Signs of Anorexia:

Often people with anorexia develop
obsessive behaviors such as:
• Avoiding food or meals
• Eating only a few kinds of food in small amounts
• Weighing or counting calories in everything they
eat
• Exercising excessively
• Weighing themselves repeatedly
Health Consequences

Consequences are related to malnutrition
and starvation:
Bones become brittle
 Body temperature, heart rate, and blood
pressure drops
 Reduction in organ size
 Heart problems  sudden cardiac death

Bulimia:
 An
eating disorder in which a
person has uncontrollable
urges to eat excessively and
then to rid the body of the food.
 “The
secret eating disorder”
people will “pig out” and then
vomit.
Signs of Bulimia:
Repeated episodes of binge eating and
then vomiting.
 Abuses laxatives, diet pills, diuretics,
excessive exercise.
 Extreme concern with body weight & shape

Health Consequences

The recurrent binge-and-purge cycles can damage the
entire digestive system

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

Inflammation and possible rupture of the esophagus
from frequent vomiting

Tooth decay and staining from stomach acids released
during frequent vomiting
How to Help…
Eating disorders aren't really about food or
weight, they are attempts to deal with
emotional and stress-related issues
 You can't force a person with an eating
disorder to change, but you can offer your
support and encourage treatment.
*And that can make a huge difference*

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/helping-someone-with-an-eating-disorder.htm
Myths About Eating Disorders




Myth #1: You have to be underweight to have an eating
disorder.
People with eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Many
individuals with eating disorders are of average weight or are
overweight.
Myth #2: Only teenage girls and young women are affected by
eating disorders.
While eating disorders are most common in young women in their
teens and early twenties, they are found in men and women of all
ages.
Myth #3: People with eating disorders are vain.
It’s not vanity that drives people with eating disorders to follow
extreme diets and obsess over their bodies, but rather an attempt to
deal with feelings of shame, anxiety, and powerlessness.
Myth #4: Eating disorders aren’t really that dangerous.
All eating disorders can lead to irreversible and even life-threatening
health problems, such as heart disease, bone loss, stunted growth,
infertility, and kidney damage.