EATING DISORDERS

DEFINITIONS Body image The way you see your body BMI A ratio that allows you to assess your body size in relation to your height and weight Body composition Ratio of body fat to lean body tissue

WEIGHT-RELATED HEALTH RISKS  Overweight › A condition in which a person is heavier than the standard range for his/her height  Obesity › Refers specifically to having an excess amount of body fat  Both can endanger health  Being overweight may not pose health risks › Football players : excess muscle tissue rather than excess body fat

OVERWEIGHT  15% of teens  Excess body fat strains muscles and skeletal system  Heart and lungs work harder  Increases risk of HBP and cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, asthma and some cancers

UNDERWEIGHT  A condition in which a person is less than the standard weight range for his/her height  Some due to genetics or fast metabolism  Other diet or exercise excessively  Little stored body fat to provide body with energy reserve and may not be consuming enough nutrients or calories for health and growth  Can lead to fatigue or inability to fight disease

FAD DIETS Weight loss plans that are popular for only a short time Hard to stick to – limit food variety Any weight lost is usually regained

LIQUID DIETS  Replaces all food with liquid formula  Very low-cal  Feeling of fatigue  FDA requires these products to carry a warning label and recommend being used under close supervision

FASTING  Abstain from eating  Fasting for more than short periods deprives body of nutrients and energy  Body will begin breaking down protein stored in muscle for energy  Avoiding liquids as well may cause dehydration  Religious fasting is usually okay › Diabetes or other health conditions not advised

DIET PILLS Suppress appetite Can cause drowsiness, anxiety, heart racing and other serious side effects Can lead to dehydration

WEIGHT CYCLING Repeated pattern of loss and regain of body weight Common in followers of fad diets Slow and steady weight loss is the best strategy for long lasting results

EATING DISORDERS  Extreme, harmful eating behavior that can cause serious illness or even death  May be brought on by mental or emotional factors: poor body image, social/family pressures, perfectionism  May be partly genetic  ~90% of those with ED are female  Need professional help

ANOREXIA NERVOSA  Irrational fear of becoming obese results in severe weight loss from self-imposed starvation  Psychological disorder with emotional and physical consequences  Most often in teenage girls and young women  Symptoms: › Extremely low caloric intake, obsession with exercising, emotional problems, unnatural interest in food, distorted body image and denial of eating problem

ANOREXIA NERVOSA CONTINUED  Health consequences › Drastic reduction of body fat may cause females to stop menstruating › Loss of bone density › Low body temp › Low blood pressure › Slowed metabolism › Reduction in organ size › May develop serious heart problems leading to cardiac arrest or death

TREATMENT FOR AN Stay at a clinic or hospital To receive nutrients to regain weight and strength Psychological treatment Addresses problems leading to the disorder

BULIMIA NERVOSA  Disorder in which some form of purging or clearing of the digestive tract follows cycles of eating  Fasts or follows a strict diet and then binges  Person may vomit or take laxatives to clear the food from the body  After binge, person may try dieting again  Symptoms: › Distorted body image › Unnatural interest in food

BULIMIA NERVOSA CONTINUED  Health Consequences › Dehydration, kidney damage or irregular heartbeat › Destroys tooth enamel › Tooth decay › Damages tissues of stomach, esophagus and mouth › Frequent use of laxatives disrupts digestion and absorption; can cause nutrient deficiencies › Laxatives can change composition of blood

TREATMENT FOR BN Medication Psychological counseling

BINGE EATING DISORDER Disorder characterized by compulsive overeating Huge amounts of food at 1 time and do not purge May signal use of food as a coping mechanism

BINGE EATING DISORDER Health consequences Unhealthful weight gain Type 2 diabetes Heart disease Stroke Gallbladder problems High blood pressure High cholesterol Increased risk of certain cancers

BINGE EATING DISORDER Treatment: Psychological counseling Sometimes medication

HOW TO HELP Need professional medical and psychological help Discuss problem with a trusted adult Encourage friend to seek help and be supportive

MEDIA AND BODY IMAGE Does the ad include people with a variety of shapes and sizes? How do the people look in the advertisement? (thin, overweight, normal) Do you think people using this product have the body type shown?

Do you think the models naturally look this way or do you think the picture has been enhanced? How do the people appear in the ad? (happy, unhappy, neither) How would you describe the product being advertised?