Eating disorders can cause profound consequences in the quality of life of people who suffer from these disorders as well as indirect consequences in the lives of their family and friends. Researchers have found that eating disorders arise from a variety of physical, emotional, familial and social issues. In order to treat individuals successfully, all of these issues must be addressed. Interestingly, research has also found that individuals who work with adolescents, such as parents, health professionals and educators, can help prevent further development of psychological issues regarding weight through their own actions and words of encouragement. In other words, teens watch what the adults are doing and when we do differently then we say the consequences can be significant. (1)
An eating disorder is marked by factors of extremes. Individuals who suffer will have extreme disturbances in eating behavior, such as over eating or under eating, or extreme distress and are concerned about their own body weight and shape. They may have started out just eating smaller or larger portions but at some point they spiral out of control.
The three most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. There are many ways in which parents and educators can encourage children to develop positive attitudes towards themselves and to demonstrate that who they are means so much more than how much they weigh. (2)
Individuals who suffer from anorexia nervosa pursue thinness relentlessly and are unwilling to maintain a normal or healthy weight. They have a distorted body image and intense fear of gaining weight, a lack of menstruation and extremely disturbed eating behaviors. Some people with anorexia lose weight through dieting and excessive exercise, while others will self induce vomiting or misuse laxatives or enemas.
Individuals who suffer from anorexia see themselves as overweight even when they are starved or clearly malnourished. Individuals will typically weigh themselves repeatedly and portion out their foods carefully. According to some studies people who suffer from anorexia are 10 times more likely to die as a result of their illness compared to those without the disorder. Many also have coexisting psychiatric and physical illnesses such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, cardiovascular complications and impaired physical development.
Other health consequences include osteoporosis, muscle loss and weakness, fainting, fatigue, dry hair and skin, hair loss and a growth of downy layer of hair all over the body, including the face which the body grows in an effort to keep warm. Approximately 90% of those who suffer with anorexia are girls or women and it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders diagnosed in young women. Unfortunately, between 5% and 20% who struggle will die, and the probability of death increases depending on the side effects that the individual suffers from the condition. (3)
Bulimia nervosa is another eating disorder that is characterized by recurrent and frequent episodes of eating large amounts of food. This is followed by feeling a lack of control and results in a behavior that compensates for the binging, such as purging through vomiting, laxatives and fasting or excessive exercise. People with bulimia can actually fall within the normal range of weight for their age and height. However they will often fear gaining weight and desperately want to lose weight. They are often very unhappy with their body size and shape and their bulimic activity is done in secret.
This binging and purging cycle usually repeats itself several times per week and they often have coexisting psychological illnesses just as those with anorexia nervosa do. Some of the physical conditions which can result from these cycles are related to electrolyte imbalances, gastrointestinal disorders and oral and tooth related problems. Long-term effects include kidney problems and cardiac disorders. (4)
Some consequences for individuals who suffer from bulimia nervosa are electrolyte imbalances that will lead to irregular heartbeats and possible heart failure. Electrolyte imbalances cause loss of potassium and sodium from the body which are necessary minerals in the regulation of the heart rate. Because of frequent vomiting, some individuals also suffer from inflammation and rupture of the esophagus. Vomiting also brings gastric juices up against the teeth which results in tooth decay and staining. Interestingly chronic laxative abuse can result in irregular bowel movements and constipation.
Bulimia nervosa affects approximately 2% of the adolescent young women population and 80% of these are female. Many people who struggle with bulimia recognize that their behaviors are unusual and perhaps dangerous, and therefore they hide them, practicing their binging and purging in private.
The last common eating disorder is called binge eating or compulsive over eating. It is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food in which the person feels the loss of control over his or her eating. However, unlike bulimia, people who suffer from binge eating do not follow with behaviors that compensates for the binging. So they do not purge, fast or excessively exercise. Most individuals also experience guilt, shame or distress which then leads to more eating.
Some of the health consequences of overeating are commonly associated with clinical obesity. Some of the potential health risks include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and gallbladder disease. At this time it’s estimated that approximately 2 to 5% of the general population is affected by binge eating. Researchers know that it affects women slightly more often than men and that is often associated with symptoms of depression.
References:
(1) National Institute of Mental Health: Eating Disorders
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/complete-index.shtml
(2) American Psychological Association: Eating Disorders
http://www.apa.org/topics/eating/index.aspx
(3) University Of Maryland Medical Center: Complications of Anorexia
http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/how_serious_anorexia_nervosa_000049_5.htm
(4) University of Maryland Medical Center: Complications of Bulimia
Resources:
Women’s Health.gov: Eating Disorders
http://www.womenshealth.gov/body-image/eating-disorders/
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