EATING DISORDERS
What is an eating disorder?
An eating disorder is a compulsion to
eat, or avoid eating, that negatively
affects one's physical and mental
health.
Eating disorders will include extreme
emotions and behaviors surrounding
weight and food issues, and can result in
serious emotional and physical problems
with life-threatening consequences.
Eating Disorder Stats
• 5-10 million females and 1 million males struggle
with eating disorders.
• 42% of 1st-3rd graders want to be thinner.
• 81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat.
• Most models are thinner than 98% of women.
• 25% of men and 45% of women are on a diet
any given day.
What contributes to eating
disorders?
• Psychological factors• Decreased Self Esteem
• Lack of control in life
• Loneliness, depression, anger
• Interpersonal factors
• Troubled relationships
• History of being teased about weight
• Difficulty expressing emotions and feelings
• Social factors
• Cultural pressures that glorify thinness
• Narrow definition of beauty
• Society values physical appearance, not inner
beauty
5 Major Determinants of Body Weight
• Genetic influence.
• Number of fat cells which is partially determined
by amount and type of food you eat at key
changes in your life.
• Infancy
• Puberty
• Pregnancy
• Metabolism.
• Current diet and exercise.
• Age.
Fat Cells
Calories
• What is a calorie?
– The measure of energy found in food.
• How many calories in one pound?
– 3500 calories equal one pound.
Anorexia NervosaThe relentless pursuit of thinness.
Signs• Reads food labels; obsessed with diet books.
• Makes frequent excuses about food. (“I had a big
lunch.”)
• Hides, plays with, or throws away food to avoid eating.
• Refuses to maintain normal body weight.
• Weighs 85% or less of expected weight for age and
height.
• Person denies the dangers of low weight.(May drink a lot
of water before a weigh in.)
• Is terrified of becoming fat.
• Reports feeling fat even when very thin.
Health effects of Anorexia Nervosa
• Bone density loss
• Low body temperature and blood
pressure.
• Irregular heartbeat that can lead to cardiac
arrest.
• Menstrual period stops.
BulimiaThe person eats a large amount of food and
then purges by forcing self to vomit or use a
laxative to force food through the body quickly.
Signs• Person feels out of control while eating.
• Vomits, misuses laxatives, exercises, or fasts to get rid
of calories.
• Believes self-worth requires being thin.
• Weight may fluctuate by 10 pounds.
• Calluses or scars on knuckles.
• Puffy “Chipmunk” cheeks.
• Smell of Vomit
Health Effects of Bulimia
• Stomach acid may damage teeth, mouth, and
throat.
• Excessive vomiting can cause stomach to
rupture.
• Malnutrition from lack of nutrients.
• Laxative use can cause kidney and liver
damage.
• Broken blood vessels in the eyes.
• Chronic constipation from laxative abuse.
Binge EatingCompulsive over eating.
Signs• Has a history of diet failures.
• May weigh more than the cultural ideal.
• Frequent episodes of uncontrollable binge
eating. (eats all the time, even when full)
• Feeling extremely distressed, guilty, depressed
or upset during or after bingeing. No control with
food.
• No regular attempts to “make up” for the binges
through vomiting, fasting, or over-exercising.
Health Effects of Binge Eating
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Type 2 diabetes
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Certain types of cancer
Joint and muscle pain
Gastrointestinal problems
Sleep apnea
Yo-Yo Dieting
“Yo-Yo" dieting - a continuing pattern of gaining and
losing weight.
Diet includes bouts of starvation, missing meals, or
very low calories - you are setting yourself up for
the yo-yo effect.
YO YO continued
– The body adapts, and decides that energy
must be conserved - and metabolism begins
to slow down. Often this can be a 'plateau' the weight loss that was initially achieved
begins to slow down or stop.
– The weight begins to come back on. And
what's even worse, is that for some people,
the lowered metabolism means they end up
with more weight than what they started at!
Overweight vs. Obesity
• Obesity= abnormally high proportion of
body fat.
• Overweight= Excess muscle, bone, fat
and/or body water relative to height.