July 21, 2010
With so much attention focused on the obesity epidemic in the United States, eating disorders often receive less of the spotlight. But don’t let that fool you.
Eating Disorders, a set of conditions in which a person experiences severe disturbances in eating behavior, are widespread in our country. Roughly five to ten million American girls and women are currently battling eating disorders. Studies have shown that approximately 80 percent of American women are dissatisfied with their appearance at one time or another. According to statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, Md., females are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder. They most frequently appear during adolescence and young adulthood, but can show up at any time.
The two main forms of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, or an extreme fear of gaining weight and relentless pursuit of thinness; and bulimia nervosa, a condition characterized by eating a significant amount of food (bingeing) and then ridding the body of the calories by throwing up or using laxatives or diuretics (purging). A third type, known as “eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS)”, may incorporate several variations of anorexia and bulimia with other characteristics which can include binge-eating without purging, obsessive exercise and dietary rituals.
Eating disorders are often linked to other psychological conditions. “Depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are not uncommon among people with eating disorders,” explains Marlene B. Schwartz, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and Co-Director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders in New Haven, Conn. Studies have shown that higher rates of depression among women and girls may be associated with a tendency to become more dissatisfied with physical appearance than their male counterparts.
Many medical conditions can result from eating disorders and they should not be taken lightly. For example, anorexia can slow the heart rate and clinically lower a person’s blood pressure, placing them at higher risk for heart problems. Nutritional deficiencies can lead to anemia, reduced muscle mass and light-headedness. Chronic starvation can lead to heart failure and brain damage.
Bulimia can cause a host of other medical conditions. For example, the acid in vomit can destroy the enamel of the teeth and inflame and erode the esophagus. Also, stomach and digestive issues from frequent purging are not uncommon in bulimic patients. Compulsive exercising can result in wear and tear injuries including shin splints, stress fractures, and damage to muscles and joints.
So what can you do? There may be several warning signs that a person could be developing an eating disorder, they include:
- Food avoidance: pushing food around on a plate or avoiding meals with families and friends
- Change in appetite
- Preoccupation with food and calories
- “Hiding behavior” - hiding the body under baggy clothes to disguise weight loss or disappearing after a meal to purge
- An overuse of scales to weigh themselves
Concerned parents should pay close attention if their child is, “overly concerned with being fat, comparing themselves to their peers, partaking in excessive exercise, or over-using the internet to search for information on calories, diet, etc.,” according to Nikki Gorman, MD, a pediatrician at Village Pediatrics in Westport, Conn. These issues may be red flags or signal a good time to speak with a health professional.
The treatment for eating disorders depends on the extent of the problem. There are often a host of underlying issues that need to be addressed and the treatment will often have a multi-pronged approach which will focus on the person’s physical, emotional and nutritional needs.
Gorman summarizes, “If we can intervene early, it is usually possible to avoid costly treatment centers, and avoid some of the morbidity associated with an eating disorder.” This is good news for any parent and a step in the right direction in exposing the dangers of eating disorders.
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For more information on the Society for Women’s Health Research please contact Rachel Griffith at 202-496-5001 or Rachel@swhr.org.
The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), a national non-profit organization based in Washington D.C., is widely recognized as the thought leader in women’s health research, particularly how sex differences impact health. SWHR’s mission is to improve the health of all women through advocacy, education and research. Visit SWHR’s website at swhr.org for more information.
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