Eating DisordersEating Disorders

True or FalseTrue or False

Eating disorders occur because people Eating disorders occur because people lack the willpower to eat healthy lack the willpower to eat healthy foods in appropriate quantities.foods in appropriate quantities.

FALSE!FALSE!

Only women develop eating disorders.Only women develop eating disorders.

FALSE!FALSE!

People with Bulimia are usually People with Bulimia are usually extremely thin.extremely thin.

FALSE!FALSE!

Eating disorders have some similarities Eating disorders have some similarities to drug addictions.to drug addictions.

TRUE!TRUE!

Laxatives and diuretics do not remove Laxatives and diuretics do not remove calories from the body.calories from the body.

FALSE!FALSE!

Alison’s StoryAlison’s Story

It’s about 9:30 on a Tuesday night. You’re at It’s about 9:30 on a Tuesday night. You’re at the grocery store picking up sandwich fixings the grocery store picking up sandwich fixings and some milk. Although your grocery list and some milk. Although your grocery list contains only four items, you arrive at the contains only four items, you arrive at the checkout line with a half-filled cart. The checkout line with a half-filled cart. The woman in front of you has only five items: a woman in front of you has only five items: a bag with about ten green beans, an apple, a bag with about ten green beans, an apple, a bagel, a green pepper, and a 4-once carton of bagel, a green pepper, and a 4-once carton of nonfat yogurt. As she carefully places each nonfat yogurt. As she carefully places each item into her shopping bag, you notice that item into her shopping bag, you notice that she is dreadfully thin.she is dreadfully thin.

The woman is Alison. She has just spent The woman is Alison. She has just spent half an hour selecting the food she will half an hour selecting the food she will eat tomorrow. Alison knows a lot about eat tomorrow. Alison knows a lot about the caloric value of foods and makes the caloric value of foods and makes only low-calorie choices. Otherwise, she only low-calorie choices. Otherwise, she will never get rid of her excess fat. To will never get rid of her excess fat. To Alison, weight is everything-she cannot Alison, weight is everything-she cannot see the skeleton-like appearance others see the skeleton-like appearance others see when they look at her.see when they look at her.

As a child, Alison enjoyed little independence. As a child, Alison enjoyed little independence. Decisions about her life were made for her, Decisions about her life were made for her, a situation that contributed to her low self-a situation that contributed to her low self-esteem. During her teen years, Alison was esteem. During her teen years, Alison was overweight and clearly remembers the overweight and clearly remembers the painful teasing and ridicule she had to painful teasing and ridicule she had to endure. Now Alison is on her own, away endure. Now Alison is on her own, away from home and in control in an out-of-from home and in control in an out-of-control way.control way.

You didn’t know this about Alison when you You didn’t know this about Alison when you saw her. There is much more to anorexia saw her. There is much more to anorexia nervosa than meets the eye.nervosa than meets the eye.

Allison’s daily caloric intake: 562Allison’s daily caloric intake: 562 Average female’s daily caloric intake: Average female’s daily caloric intake:

20002000

Anorexia NervosaAnorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by An eating disorder characterized by extreme weight loss, poor body image, extreme weight loss, poor body image, and irrational fears of weight gain and and irrational fears of weight gain and obesity.obesity.

Usually, the individual starves Usually, the individual starves him/herselfhim/herself

1% of young woman and less than .1% 1% of young woman and less than .1% of young menof young men

50% of people with anorexia turn to:50% of people with anorexia turn to:– Binge eating and purgingBinge eating and purging

Health Effects of AnorexiaHealth Effects of Anorexia

Become cold easilyBecome cold easily Low heart rateLow heart rate Irregular heart beatIrregular heart beat Dry skinDry skin Low blood pressureLow blood pressure Absent or irregular menstrual cyclesAbsent or irregular menstrual cycles InfertilityInfertility Poor pregnancy outcomesPoor pregnancy outcomes Much more likely to develop osteoporosisMuch more likely to develop osteoporosis

What Causes Anorexia??What Causes Anorexia??

No clear answerNo clear answer Society’s idea of what we should look Society’s idea of what we should look

likelike

TreatmentTreatment TimeTime Professional help toProfessional help to

– Help restore nutritional health and body weightHelp restore nutritional health and body weight– Psychological counseling to improve self-esteem Psychological counseling to improve self-esteem

and attitudes about body weight and shapeand attitudes about body weight and shape These treatments are successful 50% of the These treatments are successful 50% of the

time.time. 1/3 of people will relapse within 7 years or 1/3 of people will relapse within 7 years or

less.less. By 8 years, 3% of people will have died.By 8 years, 3% of people will have died. By 33 years after being treated, 18% of By 33 years after being treated, 18% of

people will have died.people will have died.

Lisa’s StoryLisa’s Story

Finally home alone, Lisa heads to the Finally home alone, Lisa heads to the pantry and then to the freezer. She pantry and then to the freezer. She has carefully controlled her eating for has carefully controlled her eating for the last day and a half and is ready the last day and a half and is ready to eat everything in sight.to eat everything in sight.

It’s a bittersweet time for her. Lisa knows It’s a bittersweet time for her. Lisa knows the eating binge she is preparing will be the eating binge she is preparing will be pleasurable, but that she’ll hate herself pleasurable, but that she’ll hate herself afterward. Her stomach will ache from afterward. Her stomach will ache from the volume of food she’ll consume, the volume of food she’ll consume, she’ll feel enormous guilt from losing she’ll feel enormous guilt from losing control, and she’ll be horrified that she control, and she’ll be horrified that she may gain weight and will have to starve may gain weight and will have to starve herself all over again.herself all over again.

Lisa is so preoccupied with her weight Lisa is so preoccupied with her weight and body shape that she doesn’t see and body shape that she doesn’t see the connection between her severe the connection between her severe dieting and her bouts of uncontrolled dieting and her bouts of uncontrolled eating. To get rid of all the food she is eating. To get rid of all the food she is about to eat, she will do what she has about to eat, she will do what she has done several times a week for the last done several times a week for the last year. Lisa avoids the horrible feelings year. Lisa avoids the horrible feelings that come after a binge by “tossing” that come after a binge by “tossing” everything she ate as soon as she can.everything she ate as soon as she can.

In just 10 minutes, Lisa devours 10 peanut In just 10 minutes, Lisa devours 10 peanut butter cups (the regular size), a 12-ounce butter cups (the regular size), a 12-ounce bag of chocolate chip cookies, and a quart bag of chocolate chip cookies, and a quart of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Before 5 of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Before 5 more minutes have passed Lisa will have more minutes have passed Lisa will have emptied her stomach, taken a few deep emptied her stomach, taken a few deep breaths, thrown on her shorts, and started breaths, thrown on her shorts, and started the 5-mile route she jogs most days. As the 5-mile route she jogs most days. As she jogs, she obsesses about getting her she jogs, she obsesses about getting her 138-pound, 5-foot 5-inch frame down to 138-pound, 5-foot 5-inch frame down to 115 pounds. She will fast tomorrow and 115 pounds. She will fast tomorrow and see what news the bathroom scale brings.see what news the bathroom scale brings.

Bulimia NervosaBulimia Nervosa

Purging: the use of self-induced Purging: the use of self-induced vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics (water pills) to prevent weight gain(water pills) to prevent weight gain

86% of people with bulimia use 86% of people with bulimia use vomiting as their method of purging.vomiting as their method of purging.

1-3% of young women and .5% of 1-3% of young women and .5% of young males suffer from bulimiayoung males suffer from bulimia

Health Effects of BulimiaHealth Effects of Bulimia

Changes in metabolism: feast or Changes in metabolism: feast or faminefamine

Mineral and fluid lossMineral and fluid loss Salivary glands become enlargedSalivary glands become enlarged Teeth may erode due to highly acid Teeth may erode due to highly acid

stomach juicesstomach juices

What Causes Bulimia??What Causes Bulimia??

Not certain, but scientists believe:Not certain, but scientists believe:– DepressionDepression– Body is no longer used to regulating Body is no longer used to regulating

food intakefood intake– Feast-and-famine eating cycles (fasting)Feast-and-famine eating cycles (fasting)

TreatmentTreatment

Nutritional and psychological Nutritional and psychological counseling to break feast-and famine counseling to break feast-and famine cycles. cycles.

Eat regular meals and snacks Eat regular meals and snacks Counseling to improve self-esteemCounseling to improve self-esteem These treatments are nearly 100% These treatments are nearly 100%

successful, however 1/3 will relapse successful, however 1/3 will relapse within 7 years.within 7 years.

Binge-Eating DisorderBinge-Eating Disorder

Periodic binge eating, which normally Periodic binge eating, which normally is NOT followed by vomiting or the is NOT followed by vomiting or the use of laxatives.use of laxatives.

Stress, depression, anger, anxiety, Stress, depression, anger, anxiety, and other negative emotions prompt and other negative emotions prompt this disorder.this disorder.

Treatment includes counseling and is Treatment includes counseling and is successful in 85% of people. successful in 85% of people.

When did I start eating clay? I know it When did I start eating clay? I know it might sound strange to you, but I started might sound strange to you, but I started craving clay in the summer of ’58. It was a craving clay in the summer of ’58. It was a beautiful spring morning in my bedroom beautiful spring morning in my bedroom window. I went outside and knew instantly window. I went outside and knew instantly where the sweet smell was coming from. It where the sweet smell was coming from. It was the wet clay that lies all around my was the wet clay that lies all around my house. I scooped some up and tasted it. house. I scooped some up and tasted it. That’s when and how I started my craving That’s when and how I started my craving for that sweet-smelling clay. I keep some in for that sweet-smelling clay. I keep some in the fridge now because it tastes even the fridge now because it tastes even better cold.better cold.

PicaPica

The regular consumption of nonfood The regular consumption of nonfood substances such as clay or laundry starch.substances such as clay or laundry starch.

Young children and pregnant women are Young children and pregnant women are most likely to engage in this practice; rarely most likely to engage in this practice; rarely occurs in men.occurs in men.

Geophagia: Clay or dirtGeophagia: Clay or dirt Pagophagia: Ice Pagophagia: Ice Amylophagia: Laundry starch and corn Amylophagia: Laundry starch and corn

starchstarch Plumbism: LeadPlumbism: Lead

Warning Signs of Eating Warning Signs of Eating DisordersDisorders

Obsession with weight and body Obsession with weight and body imageimage

Compulsive or excessive exercisingCompulsive or excessive exercising Hair, skin, and nail problemsHair, skin, and nail problems Excess growth of fine body hairExcess growth of fine body hair Depression, irritability, or anxietyDepression, irritability, or anxiety Swollen salivary glandsSwollen salivary glands Broken blood vessels in the eyesBroken blood vessels in the eyes