Most Common Eating Disorders

The last week of February is the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week in the United States...

Thursday May 4, 2017

WeThe last week of February is the National Eating Disorders Awareness Week in the United States. Eating Disorders are mental disorders defined by abnormal eating habits that have a negative impact on a person’s body and mind. Research indicates that there are significant genetic contributions to eating disorders, in addition to psychological ones. Low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy or lack of control in life, depression, anxiety, anger, stress, and loneliness, all contribute to these unbecoming eating habits. The most common eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa (usually called simply Anorexia and Bulimia). However, food-related disorders like restrictive food intake disorder, binge eating, body image disorders and food phobias are becoming increasingly common.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa refers to inadequate food intake leading to an abnormally low weight. This happens to an individual because of his or her intense fear of weight gain, leading to an obsession to prevent the same. They hold an unrealistic perception of body image and fiercely limit the quantity of food they consume. It can have adverse health effects like brain damage, multi-organ failure, bone loss, heart difficulties and infertility. The risk of death is highest with this disease.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by repeated binge eating followed by behaviour to compensate for the overeating, like forced vomiting, excessive exercise or extreme use of laxatives or diuretics. Men and women suffering from bulimia may fear weight gain and feel severely unhappy about their body size and shape. This binge-eating and purging cycle is typically done secretly, leading to feelings of shame, guilt, and lack of control. Bulimia can have injuring effects like gastrointestinal problems, severe hydration and heart difficulties resulting from an electrolyte imbalance.

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge Eating Disorder involves frequent episodes of consuming large amounts of food but without purging behaviours like self-induced vomiting to prevent weight gain. Therefore, people who suffer this are at a high risk of being obese and developing conditions like a cardiovascular disease. They shall also experience intense feelings of guilt, distress, and embarrassment for their binge-eating and this could trigger further progression of the eating disorder.

Food-Related Disorders

Aside from the ones mentioned above, there are other food-related disorders. Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, previously known as Selective Eating Disorder, involves the avoidance of certain textures or colours of food, difficulty digesting some foods, loss of appetite of reduced portions, etc. Food phobias result in an aversion of certain foods; some are averse to solids, while some are averse to certain textures and colours. Finally Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a condition in which exaggerate a flaw on their body till they become obsessed and preoccupied with it.

Maintaining a healthy diet and a healthy body image are important steps towards achieving freedom from eating disorders.

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