Eating Disorders

Teenagers & Eating Disorders• Girls 15 – 19 years old:

▫Account for 40% of new anorexia cases every year.

▫There has been a rise in anorexia among this age group every decade since 1930!

• Bulimia:▫The incidences of bulimia have tripled among

10-39 year-olds from 1988 to 1993

• Most of those with anorexia or bulimia do NOT receive adequate care.

Teenagers & Dieting

•Over ½ half of teenage girls and 1/3 of teen boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors. ▫ (Neumark-Sztainer, 2005)

▫These behaviors include: Skipping meals Fasting Smoking cigarettes to control weight Vomiting Taking laxatives

Eating Disorders & Media•Tweens & Teens are more likely to be

dissatisfied with their bodies after watching media.

•Movies & Television shows often have characters comment on appearance/weight.

•Advertisements often use an appeal to beauty to sell the product.

▫ National Institute on Media and the Family

Anorexia Nervosa• Self-starvation

▫Essential nutrients are denied (no or little food) so the body slows down all normal processes to conserve energy.

• Health consequences▫Low blood pressure / heart rate▫Muscle loss / weakness▫Dehydration▫Fainting / fatigue▫Dry hair and skin

•90-95% are female so, 5-10% are male.•Similar characteristics:

▫Preoccupied with weight Males may have preoccupation with body

building, weight lifting or toning.▫Compulsive exercise▫Frequently weighing oneself▫Distorted body image

Bulimia Nervosa

•Typically a binge – purge method▫Binge – secret periods of quickly eating

high-calorie dense foods.▫Purge – more than the typical vomiting.

•80% are female•Health consequences:

▫Irregular heartbeat = heart failure = death.

▫Tooth decay▫Ulcers

Warning Signs• Anorexia

▫ Becomes very thin▫ Obsesses over eating,

food, weight▫ Counts portions, calories

carefully▫ Only eats certain foods▫ Feels fat▫ Withdraws from social

activities▫ May be depressed,

fatigued or cold all the time

• Bulimia▫ Fears weight gain▫ Intensely unhappy with

body size, shape or weight

▫ Goes to the bathroom frequently or immediately after meals

▫ Regularly buys laxatives▫ Spends most of free time

working out▫ Withdraws from social

activities

Prevention

•Examine your own body image

•Avoid power struggles over food

•Create a healthy lifestyle for the family

More information

•“Dying to be thin” www.pbs.org▫Nova program