EATING

DISORDERS

Submitted by:
Lester John B. Buhay

Eating Disorders
The main eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and
binge eating disorder. It include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors
surrounding weight and food issues. Eating disorders are serious emotional
and physical problem that can have life-threatening consequences for both
men and women.

Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a condition of obsessive desire for thinness through
dieting, leading to extreme weight loss. There is a refusal to eat adequately
and to have a normal body weight.

Cause:
Unknown, but a deep-seated emotional problem based on past
experiences may be a significant factor.

Typical Features/ signs and symptoms:

Females- adolescents and young adults
A refusal to eat
Poor body image
Intense fear of becoming fat
Loss of body fat
No or very scant periods
Dry and scaly skin
High mortality rate

Who gets it?

It is a disorder of adolescent girl with and incidence of 1 in every 200
of 16-years old school girls. Occasionally it can affect young men.
There are two common age groups when it comes on: 13-14 and 17-
18.
Medical Treatment
A major priority of anorexia treatment is to address any serious health
complication arising from anorexia. Malnutrition and starvation can have
wide-ranging health consequences for those with anorexia, even if it is
detected early. Hospitalization maybe necessary depending on the extent
of the disorder. The doctor will treat medical condition such as heart
problems or osteoporosis arising from the eating disorder.
Nutritional anorexia treatment
Is an essential part of treatment for anorexia nervosa. In general, those
who are more than 15% below their healthy weight have difficulty gaining it
back without a highly structured nutritional program. Those weighing 25%
below their healthy weight may need to take part in an inpatient treatment
program.
Weight gain is associated with a reduction in symptoms of anorexia.
Restoring nutrition reduces further bone loss, normalizes hormonal function
and restores energy levels. Often, this steps must be taken before the
patient can fully benefit from eating disorders therapy and other
psychological treatment focusing on the underlying causes of anorexia.

Bulimia Nervosa
Known as binge-purge syndrome, bulimia is a recurrent episode of
binge eating in secret, followed by self-induced vomiting, fasting or
the use of laxatives and fluid tablets (diuretics).
Cause:
Unknown, that is probably due to a deep-seated emotional problem.
Genetic predisposition.
Typical features/Signs and Symptoms:
A disorder of a young females
Begin later than anorexia nervosa- usually 17-25 years old
Binges of high calorie, easily digested food
Fluctuations body weight
Repeated attempts to lose weight
Frequent dieting
Extreme concern with body weight and shape
 Irregular periods
Depressed mood with guilt after a binge
A sense of lack of control during an eating episode

Risks:
Complications of frequent vomiting e.g. dental decay, salt and fluid
loss.

Binge-Eating Disorders (compulsive overeating)

Is characterized primarily by periods of compulsive, uncontrolled,
continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full. While
there is no purging, there may be sporadic fasts or repetitive diets
and often feelings of shame or self-hatred after a binge. Body weight
may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity. This is
the eating of larger amounts of food than would a normal person in a
given period. Some people may binge once a day while others many
times a day. It is similar to bulimia except that self-induced vomiting
and the use of laxatives to reduce weight does not occur.
Typical Features/Signs and Symptoms:
Secretive and impulsive eating
Eating foods easy to swallow, high in calories in usually forbidden at
other times
Most patients are obese
Eating episodes occur in the absence of hunger.
Fear of loss of control
Binges triggered by feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety or paranoia.
Binges average 2days a week for 6 months

Management of eating disorders

Early detection followed by action to help is the best approach. Problems
with family relationships are often behind the disorder, so it is Important to
talk trough any underlying problems such as a conflict or a crisis at home,
sexual abuse, physical abuse or drug dependency (including alcohol).
Feelings of insecurity, rejection of guilt are common, so it is therapeutic to
bring out these personal problems in to the open. There is often a history of
being tease at school about weight. An expert, such as a dietitian, can
educate the patient about an appropriate diet.