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Eating disorders are real illnesses that can affect how we eat and how we feel about food. They can be treated to help people who have them have healthy and full lives. From time to time, we all change our eating habits. Sometimes we reduce the amount of food we eat or go on a diet to shed some pounds, or we eat more to gain weight. These can be healthy ways to control or reach our ideal body weight. But, people who have eating disorders have unhealthy ways, or patterns, of eating. They may eat too much and become overweight, or way too little and become very thin. Sometimes a person can eat so little, or nothing at all, they actually begin to starve (called anorexia nervosa). A person can also eat an extreme amount of food all at once and then do things like vomit to rid the body of food (called bulimia nervosa). And, a person may not be able to control the need to overeat, often keeping it a secret (called binge eating disorder). People can also have wrong ideas, or misperceptions, of their body weight. People with eating disorders can feel certain they weigh too much, even though they may be well under the ideal body weight for a person their size. Eating disorders affect people of all ages, race, and income levels. But, these disorders affect women much more than they do men. Women make up more than 90 percent of people with these disorders. Without treatment, an eating disorder can take over a person's life and cause serious illness and death. These disorders can increase risk for osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) and heart problems. People who have eating disorders can also have depression and anxiety, and may turn to alcohol and drugs for relief. Who is at risk for eating disorders? In the United States and other Western countries, women are more at risk for eating disorders than are men. These disorders affect 8 to 10 times more women than men. In the U.S., it was thought that eating disorders affected mostly white women. But, recent research has shown that black women are affected as well. One study found that black women were more likely than white women to have repeated episodes of binge eating disorder. This may put black women more at risk for obesity (being overweight). Women may be more at risk for eating disorders because of a need to have the "ideal" figure often shown in the media (TV, magazines, movies). The "thin is best" view can affect girls and young women in particular. They often go on strict diets to look like the girls and women they see in the media. Pressure from friends to be thin and to diet can also happen. For women, body image, or how you feel about how you look, can affect feelings about body weight. Not liking how much you weigh, feeling fat, and wanting to be thin can make you worry more about how you look than other things, such as your own ideas or what you want to do in your life. Sometimes, young women who are at a normal weight, or even underweight, may feel that they are too fat. A woman may also feel that how she looks or how much she weighs makes up a major part of her self-esteem. While young women may be most at risk for eating disorders, these disorders are affecting older women in growing numbers. What causes eating disorders? No one knows for sure what causes eating disorders. It is known, though, that these disorders can't be willed or wished away - treatment is needed. If you or someone you know has an eating disorder, don't wait to get help. Talk with a health care provider, the sooner the better. Much research has been focused on how personality and environment can put a person at risk for an eating disorder. People with eating disorders are thought to share certain traits, such as low self-esteem (how you feel about who you are), feelings of helplessness, and a fear of becoming overweight. Eating disorders seem to develop as a way of dealing with stress. These disorders appear to run in families, affecting women more than men. Research has shown that a woman's social environment, including her family and friends, can affect how she feels about body weight. For instance, frequent talk about being thin and dieting may put pressure on a person to be thin. Being teased about being overweight by family and friends can lead to low self-esteem and unhealthy eating in young girls and women. Also, young people who are involved in sports or activities that emphasize thinness (modeling, dancing, long distance running, gymnastics) are more likely to develop eating disorders. Research is also looking at the role genetics and a person's biological make-up and body chemistry play in eating disorders. Studies funded by the National Institute of Mental Health have focused on serotonin, a substance found in the brain that can affect appetite and a person's ability to control impulses and moods. In women, researchers are exploring how eating disorders may affect serotonin levels and how the brain signals the body about hunger and fullness. For example, most women feel better - in terms of fullness and mood - after eating. But for women with anorexia, not eating can actually improve mood and feelings of well-being. Knowing how serotonin affects eating disorders will help researchers to figure out which women are more at risk for these disorders and better ways to treat them. What are the most common types of eating disorders? What effects do they have on a person's health? The three most common types of eating disorders are: - Anorexia nervosa - starving yourself by eating very little or nothing at all. People who have this condition can have a strong fear of body fat and weight gain. To stay thin, a person may diet, fast, or exercise too much. Taking laxatives, diuretics, or enemas to rid the body of food is also common. Women with anorexia can have menstrual periods that are not regular, or none at all. Girls with anorexia often get their periods later than girls who don't have this illness. People with this illness may think they are overweight, even when they are very skinny. The process of eating becomes an obsession, or something you can't stop thinking about. Eating habits develop that are not normal, such as staying away from food and meals, picking out only a few foods and eating these in small amounts, or carefully weighing out food portions to eat. People with anorexia may also check their body weight a lot.
- Anorexia can cause the same types of problems that happen when a person is starving. The lack of food can cause a person to become very thin, develop brittle hair and nails, dry skin, and a low pulse rate, become not able to stand the cold, and suffer from constipation and sometimes diarrhea. It can also affect a person's blood count, causing mild anemia, reduce muscle mass, stop a woman's menstrual period, and lead to swollen joints. Lack of calcium, due to a poor diet, places anorexics at higher risk for osteoporosis (bone thinning) later in life. Many people with this illness have depression, anxiety, and problems with alcohol or drugs. The most serious problems include death from starvation, the heart stopping, or suicide.
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