Eating Disorders

True or False Eating disorders occur because people lack the willpower to eat healthy foods in appropriate quantities.

FALSE!

Only women develop eating disorders.

FALSE!

People with Bulimia are usually extremely thin.

FALSE!

Eating disorders have some similarities to drug addictions.

TRUE!

Laxatives and diuretics do not remove calories from the body.

FALSE!

Alison’s Story It’s about 9:30 on a Tuesday night. You’re at the grocery store picking up sandwich fixings and some milk. Although your grocery list contains only four items, you arrive at the checkout line with a half-filled cart. The woman in front of you has only five items: a bag with about ten green beans, an apple, a bagel, a green pepper, and a 4-once carton of nonfat yogurt. As she carefully places each item into her shopping bag, you notice that she is dreadfully thin.

The woman is Alison. She has just spent half an hour selecting the food she will eat tomorrow. Alison knows a lot about the caloric value of foods and makes only low- calorie choices. Otherwise, she will never get rid of her excess fat. To Alison, weight is everything-she cannot see the skeleton-like appearance others see when they look at her.

As a child, Alison enjoyed little independence. Decisions about her life were made for her, a situation that contributed to her low self-esteem. During her teen years, Alison was overweight and clearly remembers the painful teasing and ridicule she had to endure. Now Alison is on her own, away from home and in control in an out- of-control way. You didn’t know this about Alison when you saw her. There is much more to anorexia nervosa than meets the eye.

Allison’s daily caloric intake: 562 Allison’s daily caloric intake: 562 Average female’s daily caloric intake: 2000 Average female’s daily caloric intake: 2000

Anorexia Nervosa An eating disorder characterized by extreme weight loss, poor body image, and irrational fears of weight gain and obesity. An eating disorder characterized by extreme weight loss, poor body image, and irrational fears of weight gain and obesity. Usually, the individual starves him/herself Usually, the individual starves him/herself 1% of young woman and less than.1% of young men 1% of young woman and less than.1% of young men 50% of people with anorexia turn to: 50% of people with anorexia turn to: –Binge eating and purging

Health Effects of Anorexia Become cold easily Become cold easily Low heart rate Low heart rate Irregular heart beat Irregular heart beat Dry skin Dry skin Low blood pressure Low blood pressure Absent or irregular menstrual cycles Absent or irregular menstrual cycles Infertility Infertility Poor pregnancy outcomes Poor pregnancy outcomes Much more likely to develop osteoporosis Much more likely to develop osteoporosis

What Causes Anorexia?? No clear answer No clear answer Society’s idea of what we should look like Society’s idea of what we should look like

Treatment Time Time Professional help to Professional help to –Help restore nutritional health and body weight –Psychological counseling to improve self-esteem and attitudes about body weight and shape These treatments are successful 50% of the time. These treatments are successful 50% of the time. 1/3 of people will relapse within 7 years or less. 1/3 of people will relapse within 7 years or less. By 8 years, 3% of people will have died. By 8 years, 3% of people will have died. By 33 years after being treated, 18% of people will have died. By 33 years after being treated, 18% of people will have died.

Lisa’s Story Finally home alone, Lisa heads to the pantry and then to the freezer. She has carefully controlled her eating for the last day and a half and is ready to eat everything in sight.

It’s a bittersweet time for her. Lisa knows the eating binge she is preparing will be pleasurable, but that she’ll hate herself afterward. Her stomach will ache from the volume of food she’ll consume, she’ll feel enormous guilt from losing control, and she’ll be horrified that she may gain weight and will have to starve herself all over again.

Lisa is so preoccupied with her weight and body shape that she doesn’t see the connection between her severe dieting and her bouts of uncontrolled eating. To get rid of all the food she is about to eat, she will do what she has done several times a week for the last year. Lisa avoids the horrible feelings that come after a binge by “tossing” everything she ate as soon as she can.

In just 10 minutes, Lisa devours 10 peanut butter cups (the regular size), a 12-ounce bag of chocolate chip cookies, and a quart of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Before 5 more minutes have passed Lisa will have emptied her stomach, taken a few deep breaths, thrown on her shorts, and started the 5-mile route she jogs most days. As she jogs, she obsesses about getting her 138-pound, 5-foot 5-inch frame down to 115 pounds. She will fast tomorrow and see what news the bathroom scale brings.

Bulimia Nervosa Purging: the use of self-induced vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics (water pills) to prevent weight gain Purging: the use of self-induced vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics (water pills) to prevent weight gain 86% of people with bulimia use vomiting as their method of purging. 86% of people with bulimia use vomiting as their method of purging. 1-3% of young women and.5% of young males suffer from bulimia 1-3% of young women and.5% of young males suffer from bulimia

Health Effects of Bulimia Changes in metabolism: feast or famine Changes in metabolism: feast or famine Mineral and fluid loss Mineral and fluid loss Salivary glands become enlarged Salivary glands become enlarged Teeth may erode due to highly acid stomach juices Teeth may erode due to highly acid stomach juices

What Causes Bulimia?? Not certain, but scientists believe: Not certain, but scientists believe: –Depression –Body is no longer used to regulating food intake –Feast-and-famine eating cycles (fasting)

Treatment Nutritional and psychological counseling to break feast-and famine cycles. Nutritional and psychological counseling to break feast-and famine cycles. Eat regular meals and snacks Eat regular meals and snacks Counseling to improve self-esteem Counseling to improve self-esteem These treatments are nearly 100% successful, however 1/3 will relapse within 7 years. These treatments are nearly 100% successful, however 1/3 will relapse within 7 years.

Binge-Eating Disorder Periodic binge eating, which normally is NOT followed by vomiting or the use of laxatives. Periodic binge eating, which normally is NOT followed by vomiting or the use of laxatives. Stress, depression, anger, anxiety, and other negative emotions prompt this disorder. Stress, depression, anger, anxiety, and other negative emotions prompt this disorder. Treatment includes counseling and is successful in 85% of people. Treatment includes counseling and is successful in 85% of people.

When did I start eating clay? I know it might sound strange to you, but I started craving clay in the summer of ’58. It was a beautiful spring morning in my bedroom window. I went outside and knew instantly where the sweet smell was coming from. It was the wet clay that lies all around my house. I scooped some up and tasted it. That’s when and how I started my craving for that sweet-smelling clay. I keep some in the fridge now because it tastes even better cold. When did I start eating clay? I know it might sound strange to you, but I started craving clay in the summer of ’58. It was a beautiful spring morning in my bedroom window. I went outside and knew instantly where the sweet smell was coming from. It was the wet clay that lies all around my house. I scooped some up and tasted it. That’s when and how I started my craving for that sweet-smelling clay. I keep some in the fridge now because it tastes even better cold.

Pica The regular consumption of nonfood substances such as clay or laundry starch. The regular consumption of nonfood substances such as clay or laundry starch. Young children and pregnant women are most likely to engage in this practice; rarely occurs in men. Young children and pregnant women are most likely to engage in this practice; rarely occurs in men. Geophagia: Clay or dirt Geophagia: Clay or dirt Pagophagia: Ice Pagophagia: Ice Amylophagia: Laundry starch and corn starch Amylophagia: Laundry starch and corn starch Plumbism: Lead Plumbism: Lead

Warning Signs of Eating Disorders Obsession with weight and body image Obsession with weight and body image Compulsive or excessive exercising Compulsive or excessive exercising Hair, skin, and nail problems Hair, skin, and nail problems Excess growth of fine body hair Excess growth of fine body hair Depression, irritability, or anxiety Depression, irritability, or anxiety Swollen salivary glands Swollen salivary glands Broken blood vessels in the eyes Broken blood vessels in the eyes