Eating Disorders
Adolescent girls tend to eat less because of their fear of becoming fat. They become choosy with the foods they eat, preferring snack foods to full meals. Some are too conscious about their weight and their efforts to lose weight get out of control. Due to their desire to lose weight, they develop eating disorders. They get carried away with losing weight and becoming thin. An eating disorder is an extreme, unsafe eating behavior that can cause serious illness or that may even result in death. The exact cause is unknown. Some may have serious underlying mental and emotional problems that need professional treatment. They develop eating disorders that if not treated earlier can lead to serious health problems. It might also lead to death. Teenagers who have eating disorders usually have a family history of weight problems, depression, or substance abuse. In this case they need professional help.
Some common eating disorders are
1. Anorexia nervosa
2. Bulimia
3. Binge eating disorder
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by self-imposed starvation leading to excessive weight loss.
It is an extreme fear of becoming stout and a distorted view of their body size and shape. It is a psychological disorder with physical and emotional consequences. Those experiencing this eating disorder see themselves as fat even if they are not. Their fear of being overweight is too strong. Outside pressures, high expectations, the need to achieve or the need to be popular, and the need to be accepted are characteristics of people who tend to develop this disorder. If not treated earlier, those with anorexia nervosa become malnourished.
Often simply known as anorexia, this is an
eating disorder which is characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body
weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Eating disorders are known to
be more common in people whose occupations involve significant focus on
appearance, like athletes or celebrities.
The condition may also become severe enough to cause death.
Some warning signs and symptoms of anorexia nervosa:
Dry skin
Fainting
Brittle hair
Dehydration
Loss of body fat
Irregular heartbeat
Loss of menstruation
Wasting away of muscle tissue
Some behaviors that can also be observed from those with anorexia
nervosa include the following:
They exercise excessively.
They wear bulky or loose clothing.
They make excuses during meal time .
They may shift the food around on their plate just to pretend they are
eating.
Bulimia is a disorder in which the clearing of digestive tract follows cycles of overeating.
People with this disorder are too concerned with weight. They will eat large quantity of food in a short period of time. After eating, they will take laxatives to rid the body of the food to avoid gaining weight. They may induce vomiting, abuse laxatives or diuretics, and go on dieting, or do excessive exercises.
These practices are harmful and will damage the body. The following are the effects of bulimia:
Damage the heart due to starvation
Damage the kidney due to laxative abuse
Vomiting and laxative abuse can lead to dehydration and serious malnutrition
Overeating can cause the stomach to enlarge and vomiting can cause the stomach to rapture
Damage the tooth enamel and injure the mouth and throat because of stomach acids coming out due to requent vomiting
Some warning signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa:
Bulimic people have open sores in the mouth due to frequent vomiting.
Their throats are often red,
They have tooth decay due to constant exposure to acids in their vomit.
Bulimia can be treated by undergoing psychological and nutritional counseling as well as intensive medical treatment. Anorexia and bulimia are common among adolescent girls and young women. There are also a few cases of boys suffering from this disorder. Anorexic and bulimic people have difficulty feeling good
about their bodies no matter how good they may look. Seek medical help immediately if any of these disorders affect you.
When bulimia is a problem, the following intervention will help you:
Avoid skipping meals.
Eat more high –fiber food.
Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Drink 8-10 glasses of water and do 30-minute exercises daily.
Avoid finger foods and select meals that require eating at the table.
Eat regularly-timed meals consisting of a variety of foods in enough
quantity.
Binge eating disorder is characterized by compulsive eating. People who indulge in compulsive eating consume a large amount of food at one time but they do not eliminate it.
Binge disorder may be an indicator that the person uses food to cope with depression or strong emotions. Binge eating is different from normal appetite increases or overeating during holidays. Those with a binge eating problem eat large amounts of food on a regular basis. They eat quickly or most often do something while eating, like playing computer games, watching TV, reading books, doing homework, and others. They don’t stop eating even if they are already full. This results in being overweight or even obese because of so many calories they have taken, which is more than what the body can use.
Try the following strategies to stop binge eating:
Cope with stress. Find alternative ways to handle stress and other feelings without food. You can do exercises, meditation, or simple breathing exercises.
Take three regular meals and choose healthy snacks. Do not skip meals as this often leads to binge eating later in the day. Take your breakfast, then have a balanced lunch and dinner on scheduled mealtime. If you will take a snack in between, be sure to choose healthy snacks.
Stay away from temptation. Do not store junk food and other unhealthy snacks in your refrigerator or cabinet.
Stop dieting. Depriving yourself of food will just trigger food craving and you will have the urge to overeat. What you can do is to focus on eating nutritious foods in moderation. Avoid being uncomfortably full.
Avoid dullness/boredom. Try to do something worthwhile instead of snacking. You can read, do gardening, paint, bike, walk, and other hobbies.
Do some exercises. Exercise this will not only help you lose weight but will reduce stress as well. It gives a natural mood-boosting effect that will help you stop that emotional eating practice.
Have enough sleep. Instead of eating when you are tired, it is better to take a nap or sleep earlier to boost your energy.
Know your body. You must know when you are physically hungry. If you have just eaten and feel like eating again, just ignore it. It is just emotional hunger.
Note the food you eat. Recording the food you eat, the time, quantity, and the feeling while eating will help you see the pattern. Do you overeat when you feel stressed, upset, hurt or angry? You will see the connection between your mood and binge eating.
Get help. Build a solid support network such as with your family, friends, or join a support group. You can also seek medical help.
Remember, you can avoid binge eating by developing a healthier relationship with food. It must be a relationship based on your nutritional needs and not on your emotional needs. You must eat for your health and nutrition. Having a balanced meal plan and choosing healthy foods can help you avoid binge eating.
Watch your eating behavior. There are some behaviors that may indicate that you are at risk for developing an eating disorder.
Do the next activity to check your eating behavior.
