Eating disorders:
Anorexia
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• Society’s promotion of a
thin body causes women
to develop a distorted
body image which can
lead to anorexia.
• Biology and genetic
makeup are greater risk
factors for developing
anorexia than society.
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• Society’s promotion of a
thin body causes women
to develop a distorted
body image which can
lead to anorexia.
• Biology and genetic
makeup are greater risk
factors for developing
anorexia than society.
Anorexia begins with fulfilling society’s requirements of
what is a perfect body.
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Statistics
This shows how the most people view themselves.
• According to the National Eating Disorders Association, the
average American woman is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 140
pounds.
•The average American model is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs
117 pounds.
• 85 - 95 percent of anorexics are female
•Approximately 90 percent are women between ages 12 and 25.
Initially found mostly in upper- and middle-class families, anorexia
is now found in all socioeconomic groups and a variety of ethnic
and racial groups.
What is anorexia nervosa?
Anorexia nervosa is an eating
disorder
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1 that makes people lose
more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height. A
•person
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An anorexic:
• Has a low body weight for her or his height
• Resists keeping a normal body weight
• Has an intense fear of gaining weight
• Thinks she or he is fat even when very thin
What are signs of anorexia?
Someone with anorexia may look very thin. She or he may
use extreme measures to lose weight by:
• Making her or himself throw up
• Taking pills to urinate or have a bowel movement
• Taking diet pills
• Not eating or eating very little
• Exercising a lot, even in bad weather or when hurt or tired
• Weighing food and counting calories
• Eating very small amounts of only certain foods
• Moving food around the plate instead of eating it
Anorexia comes from biology and genetic makeup
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What
researchers
have to say
• Researchers have discovered biological evidence
of a genetic underpinning to anorexia nervosa:
genetic linkage on chromosome 1 for the complex
psychiatric disorder.
• Researchers studying anorexia in twins conclude
that more than half a person's risk for developing the
sometimes fatal eating disorder is determined by
genes.
Genes
• Thousands of girls are predisposed to develop anorexia
because of the way their brains developed in the womb, says a
major new study.
•Studies have suggested that a gene called OPRD1 is linked
to anorexia.
•Another spot was between two genes called CHD10 and
CHD9.
Studies
• Scientists at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia say they have
identified genes that occur only in anorexia that play a role in how neurons
connect and signal the brain.
• The researchers found a link between anorexia and cadherin genes that
influence how cells communicate with each other in the brain and are
associated with autism spectrum disorders.
• An international team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of
California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Scripps Translational
Science Institute in La Jolla, CA, has identified possible genetic variations
that could influence a patient's recovery from an eating disorder such as
anorexia or bulimia.
Conclusion
My opinion is that anorexia does begins with
fulfilling society’s requirements of what is a perfect
body. I conclude that because I do feel anorexia is caused
by pressures made on mainly young woman to look
perfect by society. I believe that because of all of the
influences to become skinny. People will start dieting
and soon become underweight just to fit in with the
crowd and be society’s definition of pretty. This is a very
harmful disease and I personally think that people should
take precaution and not take being/becoming anorexic to
the extreme.
Citations
• Kain, Debra. "New Study Sheds Light on Role of Genetics in Recovering from
Eating..." Targeted News Service. 26 Jul 2011: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 31 May 2012.
• Campbell, Denis. "The New Anorexics: Big Increase in Eating Disorders in Women
After..." The Guardian. 09 Oct 2010: 3. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 31 May 2012.
• Anorexia nervosa. Womens Health. N.p., 9 Feb. 2008. Web. 31 May 2012.
<http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/anorexia-nervosa.cfm>.
• "How to Ignore Thin Fashion Models." Christian Science Monitor. 05 Mar 2012: n.p. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 31 May 2012.