EATING DISORDERS

Eating disorders are illnesses with a biological basis modified and influenced by emotional and cultural factors. Eating disorders affect some several million people at any given time, most often women between the ages of 12 and 35. Eating disorders include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues experienced by both women and men. There are three primary eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge or Compulsive Eating Disorder. All are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life threatening consequences.

ANOREXIA NERVOSA

• Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height, body type, age, and activity level
• Intense fear of weight gain or being "fat"
• Feeling "fat" or overweight despite dramatic weight loss
• Loss of menstrual periods
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape

BULIMIA NERVOSA

Bulimia occurs in women of all ages, but is more common among those under 30. Bulimia is more common than Anorexia and in males. Only a small percentage of people who are Bulimic show signs of Anorexia. Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by a secretive cycle of binge eating followed by purging. Bulimia includes eating large amounts of food--more than most people would eat in one meal, then getting rid of the food and calories through vomiting, laxative abuse, or over-exercising.

• Repeated episodes of bingeing and purging
• Feeling out of control during a binge and eating beyond the point of comfortable fullness
• Purging after a binge, typically by self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diet pills and/or diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting)
• Frequent dieting
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape

COMPULSIVE OR BINGE EATING

Binge Eating Disorder, also called compulsive overeating, is a common eating disorder that is becoming more widely discussed in the medical literature. Compulsive or Binge Eating is characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full. People with this recently recognized disorder have frequent episodes of compulsive overeating, but unlike those with bulimia, they do not purge their bodies of food. During these food binges, they often eat alone and very quickly, regardless of whether they feel hungry or full. They often feel shame or guilt over their actions. Unlike anorexia and bulimia, binge-eating disorder occurs almost as often in men as in women. Body weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity.

OTHER EATING DISORDERS

Other eating disorders can include some combination of the signs and symptoms of anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive overeating. While these behaviors may not be clinically considered a full syndrome eating disorder, they can still be physically dangerous and emotionally draining. All eating disorders require professional help.

EATING DISORDERS OF KIDS

It's common for kids - particularly teens - to be concerned about how they look and to feel self-conscious about their weight. During puberty, kids' bodies are changing dramatically and they are facing new social pressures, like attraction to the opposite sex. Unfortunately, for a growing proportion of kids and teens, that concern grows into an obsession that causes dramatic weight fluctuation, interferes with normal daily life, and damages vital body functions.

Up to 10 million teens develop eating disorders, abnormal attitudes and behaviors with foods, which include anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. For most kids, eating disorders begin when they are 11 to 13 years old. While they are more common among girls, boys can experience eating disorders too. Unfortunately, many kids and teens successfully hide these disorders from their families for months or years.