Eating Disorders:Anorexia Nervosa &

Bulimia Nervosa

8th Grade HealthMr. Springer

“Courage”Superchick

I told another lie todayAnd I got through this day

No one saw through my gamesI know the right words to say

Like "I don't feel well," "I ate before I came"Then someone tells me how good I look

And for a moment, for a moment I am happyBut when I'm alone, no one hears me cry

I need you to knowI'm not through the night

Some days I'm still fighting to walk towards the lightI need you to knowThat we'll be OK

Together we can make it through another day

I don't know the first time I felt unbeautifulThe day I chose not to eat

What I do know is how I've changed my life foreverI know I should know better

There are days when I'm OKAnd for a moment, for a moment I find hope

But there are days when I'm not OKAnd I need your help

So I'm letting go

I need you to knowI'm not through the night

Some days I'm still fighting to walk towards the lightI need you to knowThat we'll be OK

Together we can make it through another day

You should know you're not on your ownThese secrets are walls that keep us alone

I don't know when but I know nowTogether we'll make it through somehow(together we'll make it through somehow)

I need you to knowI'm not through the night

Some days I'm still fighting to walk towards the lightI need you to knowThat we'll be OK

Together we can make it through another day

http://madhusameer.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/anorexia-7.jpg

Anorexia Nervosa Definition: a

serious, potentially life threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation/excessive weight loss

Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms

Primary Symptoms• Resistance to maintain body weight at

or above a minimally normal body weight for age/height

• Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat”, even though underweight

Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms

Primary Symptoms (cont)• Disturbance in the experience of body

weight/shape or denial of seriousness of low body weight.

• Loss of menstrual periods in girls and women post-puberty.

Warning Signs Of Anorexia Nervosa

• Dramatic weight loss

• Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat grams, and dieting

• Refusal to eat certain foods/groupsEx. No Carbs

• Frequent comments about being fat or overweight despite weight loss

• Denial of hunger

Warning Signs Of Anorexia Nervosa

• Development of food rituals (excessive chewing, rearranging)

• Consistent excuses to avoid mealtimes/situations involving food

• Excessive exercise routine

• Withdraw from usual friends & activities

Consequences Of Anorexia Nervosa

• Abnormally slow heart rate/low blood pressure, increased risk of heart failure over time

• Reduction in bone density

• Muscle loss/weakness

• Severe dehydration which can result in kidney failure

• Dry hair & skin, hair loss is common

• Growth of downy hair layer called lanugo all over body

Anorexia Nervosa Facts90-95% of sufferers are girls/women

(American Psychiatric Assoc.)

Between 5-10% of American women suffer from Anorexia Nervosa

Between 5-20% of individuals with Anorexia Nervosa will die(Zerbe, K.J.(1995) The Body Betrayed)

Typically appears in early to mid-adolescense, one of the most

common psychiatric diagnoses in young women(Hsu, G.L.K. (1996) Epidemiology of the Eating Disorders.

PsychiatricClinics of North America,19(4), 681-697)

Anorexic Twins Video Clips

(part 4)

(part 2)

(part 3)

(part 1)

Bulimia Nervosa Definition: a serious, potentially life-

threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing followed by purging to try and rid the body of unwanted calories.

Bulimia Nervosa Symptoms Primary Symptoms• Regular intake of large amounts of food

accompanied by a sense of loss of control over eating behavior.

• Regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, laxative/diuretic abuse, fasting, and/or obsessive compulsive exercise.

• Extreme concern with body weight and shape.

Warning Signs of Bulimia Nervosa

• Evidence of binge eating (food wrappers)

• Evidence of purging behaviors (frequent trips to bathroom after meals)

• Excessive, rigid exercise regimen

• Unusual swelling of cheeks/jaw area

Warning Signs of Bulimia Nervosa

• Calluses on back of hands/knuckles from self-induced vomiting

• Discoloration/staining of teeth

• Creating of lifestyle schedules to make time for binge & purge sessions

• Withdrawal from friends and activities

Consequences of Bulimia Nervosa

• Electrolyte imbalances can lead to irregular heartbeat, heart failure and death.

• Inflammation and possible rupture of esophagus from frequent vomiting.

• Tooth decay and staining from stomach acids released during vomiting.

• Chronic irregular bowel movements and constipation as result of laxative abuse.

• Gastric rupture is possible.

Bulimia Nervosa Facts• Bulimia nervosa affects 1-2% of adolescent and

young adult women.

• Approximately 80% of bulimia nervosa patients are female.

• People struggling with bulimia nervosa appear to be of average body weight.

• Many people struggling realize their behaviors are unusual and dangerous to their health.

• Bulimia nervosa is frequently associated with symptoms of depression & changes in social adjustment.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

Definition: characterized by recurring binge eating or compulsive overeating

An example story

Walker's room is his oasis. It's where he listens to music, does his homework, and talks online with his friends. For the most part, it looks like a typical bedroom — except for what's under the bed. That's where Walker keeps his secret stash of snacks and tosses the empty candy wrappers, chip bags, and cookie boxes. Walker has just polished off a whole package of cookies and a large bag of chips — and he hasn't even finished his homework yet. He's searching for more chips to eat while he does his math. He hates that he's overweight, but he can't seem to stop bingeing. In the back of his mind, he knows that in an hour or so he's going to feel guilty and disgusted with himself, but right now it feels like he just can't stop eating.

Warning Signs of Binge Eating Disorder

• Frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food in short periods of time.

• Feeling out of control over eating behavior.

• Feeling ashamed or disgusted by behavior.

• Eating when not hungry and eating in secret

Health Consequences of Binge Eating Disorder

High blood pressure High cholesterol levels Heart disease Diabetes Gallbladder disease

*All of these symptoms commonly associated with clinical obesity.

Binge Eating Disorder Facts• Affects approximately 1-5% of the population.

• Affects women slightly more than men (60% are female, 40% are male).

• People struggling with binge eating disorder can be of normal or heavier than average weight.

• BED associated with symptoms of depression.’

• People struggling with BED often express distress, shame and guilt over their eating behaviors.

Review Questions