1. Chapter 9
Nutrition
Lesson 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders

2. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Building Vocabulary
body image
The way you see your body
Extreme eating behavior that can lead to serious illness or even death
eating disorder
An eating disorder in which a person strongly fears gaining weight and starves herself or himself
anorexia nervosa
Lesson Home

3. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Building Vocabulary
An eating disorder in which a person repeatedly eats large amounts of food and then purges
bulimia nervosa
An eating disorder in which a person repeatedly eats too much food at one time
binge eating
More than 20 percent higher than what is appropriate for their height, age, and body frame
obese
Lesson Home

4. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Body Image
People who have a poor body image may try to change their weight in extreme ways. This can damage their health and may even be life threatening
New Vocabulary
body image The way you see your body
Lesson Home

5. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Developing a Positive Body Image
To develop a positive body image, you need to:
Accept yourself as you are.
Focus on the things you like about yourself.
Maintain a healthy body by eating an appropriate amount of food and getting enough exercise.
Spend time with people who like you and appreciate you for yourself.
Show that you value yourself by taking good care of your body and mind.
Lesson Home

6. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Eating Disorders
A person with an unhealthy body image may be at risk of developing an eating disorder.
Eating disorders can affect anyone, but are more common to appear first during the teen years. Males and females can develop eating disorders.
A person with an eating disorder is not getting enough nutrients to help his or her body grow. Eating disorders are very dangerous, and can lead to death. Often, though, people with eating disorders may deny that they have a problem. If you think that someone you know has an eating disorder, discuss the problem with an adult whom you trust. You can also help by encouraging your friend to ask for help.
New Vocabulary
eating disorder Extreme eating behavior that can lead to serious illness or even death
Lesson Home

7. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Anorexia Nervosa
People with anorexia nervosa may feel a need to be very successful or be accepted by all people. They eat far fewer calories than they need to stay healthy. They may also exercise excessively.
People with anorexia nervosa can become dangerously underweight. Their bones may become thin and brittle from lack of calcium. Their blood pressure and body temperature may drop. If they do not get treatment, people with this disorder can literally starve to death. They may also die from heart failure, kidney failure, or other medical complications. In addition, the depression that often comes with anorexia may lead to thoughts of suicide.
New Vocabulary
anorexia nervosa An eating disorder in which a person strongly fears gaining weight and starves herself or himself
Lesson Home

8. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Bulimia Nervosa
People with bulimia nervosa purge food in several ways. One way is to vomit, or throw up. Another way is to use laxatives. People with this illness may have a normal weight, but still feel the need to go on an extreme diet.
Unlike anorexia, bulimia usually does not lead to extreme weight loss. Its signs are usually subtler. For instance, people with this disorder may often go to the bathroom after eating a large meal. While in the bathroom, they may run the water to cover the sound of vomiting. Another sign is swollen cheeks caused by vomiting.
Bulimia can damage the colon, liver, and kidneys. The coating on the teeth may wear off, because frequent vomiting exposes the teeth to the acids from the stomach’s contents. The linings of the stomach and esophagus can also be hurt. The body may become dehydrated, meaning it does not have the water levels it needs. Also, the heart may be harmed.
New Vocabulary
bulimia nervosa An eating disorder in which a person repeatedly eats large amounts of food and then purges
Lesson Home

9. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Binge Eating
People with binge eating disorder eat even when they are not hungry. Binge eating can lead a person to become obese.
New Vocabulary
They eat enough to make them feel physically uncomfortable. They may eat alone so that others do not see how much food they eat. They may hide food for the same reason. In some cases, binge eating may be an attempt to deal with depression.
binge eating An eating disorder in which a person repeatedly eats too much food at one time
New Vocabulary
obese More than 20 percent higher than what is appropriate for their height, age, and body frame
Lesson Home

10. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Males and Eating Disorders
Eating disorders may be less noticeable in males and more difficult to diagnose. However, they are just as harmful and require similar treatment.
Muscle dysmorphia can also affect anyone, but it is more common in males. During the teen years, a girl may mistakenly think she needs to lose weight. A boy the same age may see himself as being too small or not weighing enough. As a result, he may want to gain weight and add muscle. In addition to compulsive eating, this disorder often involves the use of steroids or other dangerous drugs in an effort to bulk up.
Lesson Home

11. Body Image and Eating Disorders
LESSON 4
Body Image and Eating Disorders
BIG IDEA
You can maintain a healthy weight by balancing the food you eat with physical activity.
Treatment for Eating Disorders
Health care providers who work together to treat eating disorders include doctors, counselors, and nutritionists.
A hospital stay may be needed to treat serious physical problems or severe depression.
People with eating disorders often cannot admit that they have a problem. Family members and friends can help them to recognize the problem and seek treatment. If you are concerned that you or someone you know may have an eating disorder, talk to a trusted adult. A person with an eating disorder needs to get help right away. The sooner a person gets treatment, the better his or her chances of recovering.
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