Lesson 4: Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders

Having a healthy body weight is very desirable. Because of social pressure, some people became conscious on
their body figures (look thin or muscular) that lead to unhealthy relation with food. Women feel the need to imitate
unattainable thin figures of stars or models while men aspire to have a “perfect” body of professional athletes or models.
These desires are the reasons that lead to unhealthy eating behavior.

What is eating behavior?

Eating disorder is a term used to describe illnesses characterized by disturbance in attitudes and behaviors of
eating, body weight, and body image. It is an abnormal eating habit, which results to insufficient or excessive food intake.
Eating disorder can cause serious medical complications and can even cause death.

Health professionals even consider eating disorders as a mental illness because people that have this are often
unwilling to seek or accept treatment.

What are the different types of eating disorders?

1. Anorexia Nervosa – is an eating disorder where in one eats too little food resulting to excessive weight loss.

A person with anorexia has poor body image and too concerned on weight and appearance. He/she does not see an
accurate reflection of his/her looks in the mirror. He/she images him/herself as fat but in reality, he/she is dangerously
thin.

Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia: Health Consequences:

• Deliberate self-starvation with abnormal weight • Weakness
loss. • Fatigue
• Intense and persistent fear of gaining and thus • Nutritional deficiencies
refusing to eat. • Low blood pressure
• Compulsive exercise • Death
2. Bulimia Nervosa – is an eating disorder wherein a person feels the urge to eat large amount of food then try to
eliminate the food eaten through self-induced vomiting or use of laxative to undo the effects of bulk eating.

People with this disorder are too concerned about their weight and appearance. Just like in anorexia, they see
themselves fat, even if they are not.

A person’s tendency of becoming bulimic is illustrated through a cycle of compulsive eating and induced vomiting.
After eating large amount of food, the urge is to undo the effect of too much food intake through induced vomiting.
After vomiting, the urge is to crave for food again. The cycle continues until treatment will be done.

Signs and symptoms of Bulimia: Health Consequences:

• Exhibiting signs of dehydration • Dehydration
• Bloating and irregular bowel movement • Weakness and fatigue
• Soring in the mouth and throat • Potential gastric rapture during periods of
• Large food intake with no weight gain binging
• Exercising excessively • Electrolyte and chemical imbalances
• Going to the bathroom immediately after meals • Chronic irregular bowel movements

3. Binge-eating Disorder - is an eating disorder where there is uncontrollable urge to eat large amount of food. It is also
called compulsive eating.
Occasionally, a person overeats. There is no problem with that. But if a person can no longer control the compulsion
to overeat, that is where the problem lies. This is a psychological problem since a person suffering from this disease
does not feel the urge to stop eating even if he is full.

Depressed, stressed, or nervous people usually exhibit this. Instead of expressing their feelings, they turn their
attention to eating. This is a common cause of obesity and the risks of having cancer, chronic, and cardiovascular
disease is high.

People who are suffering from this disorder seemed trapped in a dieting cycle that is hard for them to break.
Signs and Symptoms: Health Consequences:
• Steal or hoards food in strange places • High Cholesterol level
• Often overweight • High blood pressure
• Lack of control during binging • Diabetes
• Eat too fast or too much in private • Gallbladder disease
• Negative self-esteem, poor body image • Heart disease
How will you recognize eating disorders?
Signs of eating disorders can be hard to detect sometimes. Young people tend to display behavior that may be
considered as signs for the disorders. These people having the following signs of eating disorders are at risk:
1. Have low self-esteem and negative body image
2. Not eating as necessary, may be eating inadequately or eating too much
3. May be depressed and showing mood swings
4. Feel inadequate and feel the urge to eat less or eat more to become adequate
5. Have difficulty in social situations

How can you help a person with eating disorder?

Talk to someone about his or her eating disorder. However, care must be done so as to avoid being too critical.
Instead, focus on the specific behaviors that tend to disturb the person.
1. Familiarize yourself about the facts and myths of eating disorders. Use facts to reason with your friend about
any inaccurate ideas fueling out their eating habits.
2. Be honest. Be responsible and truthful when talking to people with eating disorders or has problems with
their body appearances. Snubbing them will not provide any solution.
3. Be caring but firm. Even if you care for them, do not allow yourself to be manipulated by your friend. Your
friend should be responsible for whatever actions and consequences of his/her actions. Do not make rules,
promises or expectations that you are not willing to follow.
4. Compliment. Give admiring comments on your friend’s achievements or great personality. It is worth noting
that “true beauty” is not only skin deep.
5. Be a good role model. Be an example of sensible eating, exercise, and self-acceptance.

People struggling with eating disorders need professional help. Do not impose sudden or drastic changes to your friend
seeking help. Steps towards improvement happen through communicating it honestly, sharing concerns, giving support,
and identifying sources of information and proper assistance.