EATING DISORDERSUNDERSTANDING ANOREXIA, BULIMIA, AND BINGE EATING

THINKING BACK TO BODY COMPOSITION

• What is the problem with just looking at your weight on a scale? What doesn’t a scale take into consideration?

• What is BMI and how do we measure it?

• How can two males who both weigh 165 pounds be different in terms of their health?

• What are the three different body types? How does this effect your weight?

• How can the media and our society influence our perception of ourselves?

QUESTIONS ABOUT EATING DISORDERS

1. What do you know about eating disorders?

2. How have you heard/seen these disorders?

3. What are the three eating disorders?

4. Why do you think eating disorders are so prevalent in our society?

**There are many myths in our society about eating disorders.

-Definition of Eating Disorders: Extreme and damaging eating behaviors that can lead to serious illness or even death.

ANOREXIA NERVOSA

WHAT IS ANOREXIA NERVOSA?

• Definition: An eating disorder in which a person has an intense fear of weight gain and starves herself or himself that makes them lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height.• Common Myth About Anorexia: Only teenage girls suffer from anorexia

• The number of males with eating disorders is on the rise and many new cases of 9 and 10 year olds with the disorder are appearing.

CAUSES OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA

• The exact cause is unknown but risk factors involved may be:

• Genes

• Hormones

• Social Attitudes Including Cultural Ideas

• Having an anxiety disorder as a child

• Having a negative self-image

• Having eating problems during infancy or early childhood

• Trying to be perfect or overly focused on rules

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA • An intense fear of gaining weight or

becoming fat (even when underweight)

• Refuses to keep weight at what is considered normal for their age and height (15% or more below their normal weight)

• Have a body image that is very distorted, focused on body weight and/or shape

• Severely limit the amount of food they eat

• Cutting food into small pieces or moving them around the plate instead of eating

• Exercising all the time

• Going to the bathroom right after meals

• Refusing to eat around other people

• Using pills

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ANOREXIA CONT.• Blotchy or yellow skin that is dry and

covered with fine hair

• Confused or slow thinking, along with poor memory or judgement

• Depression

• Dry Mouth

• Extreme sensitivity to cold

• Loss of Bone Strength

• Wasting away of muscle and loss of body fat

MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS OVERTIME FROM ANOREXIA NERVOSA

• Thinning of the bones

• Brittle Hair and Nails

• Dry and Yellowish Skin

• Growth of fine hair all over the body

• Mild anemia, muscle wasting and weakness

• Severe constipation

• Low blood pressure or slowed breathing and pulse

• Damage to the structure and function of the heart

• Brain Damage

• Multi-Organ Failure

• Drop in internal body temperature causing a person to feel cold all the time

• Lethargy, sluggishness, or feeling tired all the time

• Infertility

WHAT IS BULIMIA NERVOSA?

• Definition: Is an eating disorder in which a person has regular episodes of overeating (binging) and feels a loss of control. The person then uses different ways, such as vomiting or laxatives (purging) to prevent weight gain.

• Facts about Bulimia:• Many more women than men have bulimia

• The disorder is most common in adolescent girls and young women

CAUSES OF BULIMIA NERVOSA• The exact cause of bulimia is

unknown some risk factors may be:• Genetic

• Psychological

• Trauma

• Family

• Society

• Cultural Factors

• Bulimia is likely due to more than one factor

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BULIMIA NERVOSA

• Usually maintain what is considered a healthy or normal weight with some being overweight

• Fear gaining weight

• Want desperately to lose weight

• Intensely unhappy with their body size and shape

• Usually bulimic behavior is done secretly because it is often accompanied by feelings of disgust or shame

OTHER SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BULIMIA NERVOSA

• Chronically inflamed and sore throat

• Swollen salivary glands in the neck and jaw area

• Worn tooth enamel and increasingly sensitive and decaying teeth as a result of exposure to stomach acid

• Acid reflux disorder and other gastrointestinal problems

• Intestinal distress and irritation from laxative abuse

• Severe dehydration from purging of fluids

• Electrolyte imbalance – too low or too high levels of sodium, calcium, potassium and other minerals that can lead to a heart attach or stroke

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BULIMIA NERVOSA CONT.

• Compulsive exercise

• Suddenly eating large amounts of food or buying large amounts of food that disappear right away

• Regularly going to the bathroom right after meals

• Throwing away packages of laxatives, diet pills, emetics (drugs that cause vomiting) or diuretics

• Broken blood vessels in the eyes

• Dry mouth

• Pouch-like look to the cheeks

• Rashes and pimples

• Small cuts and calluses across the tops of the finger joints from forcing oneself to vomit

MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS OVERTIME FROM BULIMIA NERVOSA

• Constipation

• Dehydration

• Dental Cavities

• Hemorrhoids

• Pancreatitis

• Swelling of the Throat

• Tears of the Esophagus from too much vomiting

• Electrolyte imbalance – too low or too high levels of sodium, calcium, potassium and other minerals that can lead to a heart attach or stroke

WHAT IS BINGE EATING DISORDER?

• Definition: Binge eating is a disorder in which a person regularly eats unusually large amounts of food. During binge eating, the person also feels a loss of control and is not able to stop eating.

• Facts about Binge Eating:• In the U.S. binge eating is the most common eating disorder

• More women than men have it

• Women are affected as young adults while men are affected in middle age.

• 2/3 of people who have binge eating disorder are obese

• Binge eating may occur on its own or with another eating disorder, bulimia

CAUSES OF BINGE EATING DISORDER

• The exact cause of binge eating is unknown. Things that may lead to this disorder include:

• Genes, such as having close relatives who also have an eating disorder

• Changes in brain chemicals

• Depression or other emotions, such as feeling upset or stressed

• Unhealthy dieting, such as not eating enough nutritious food or skipping meals

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BINGE EATING DISORDER

• Eat large amounts of food in a short period, for example, every two hours

• Not able to control overeating, for example is unable to stop eating or control the amount of food

• Eats food very fast each time

• Keeps eating even when full (gorging) or until uncomfortably full

• Eats even though not hungry

• Eats alone (in secret)

• Feels guilty, disgusted, ashamed, or depressed after eating so much

MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS OVER TIME FROM BINGE EATING DISORDER

• The person often eats unhealthy foods that are high in sugar and fat and low in nutrients and protein which can lead to:

• High Cholesterol

• Type 2 Diabetes

• Gallbladder Disease

• Other Possible Health Problems Include:

• Heart Disease

• High Blood Pressure

• Joint Pain

TREATMENT FOR EATING DISORDERS

• Treatment plans are often tailored to individual needs and may include one or more of the following:

• Individual, group or family psychotherapy

• Medical care and monitoring

• Nutritional Counseling

• Medications (for example, antidepressants)

• Support groups

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy

• Some patients may also need to be hospitalized to treat problems caused by malnutrition to ensure they eat enough if they are underweight

• What do you think your role as a friend is?

• Be Supportive

HAVE STUDENTS CREATE A PAMPHLET EXPLAINING THE THREE TYPES OF EATING DISORDERS (INCLUDE DEFINITION, CAUSE, EFFECT, TREATMENT)

• Need to have information on the three types of eating disorders available for the students