Introduction

Eating disorders are serious behavior problems. A person who has an eating disorder shows symptoms of severe overeating or not consuming enough food to stay healthy. He/she may show concern about his/her shape or weight. Types of eating disorders include

Anorexia nervosa, in which the person becomes too thin, but doesn't eat enough because he/she thinks they are fat Bulimia nervosa, which involves periods of overeating followed by purging, sometimes through self-induced vomiting or using laxatives Binge-eating, which is out-of-control eating

Women are more likely than men to have eating disorders. They usually start in the teenage years and often occur along with depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse. Eating disorders can lead to heart and kidney problems and even death. Getting help early is important. Treatment involves monitoring, talk therapy, nutritional counseling, and sometimes medicines.

What are the causes?

Eating disorders may be caused by social or psychological reasons, or may be a result of genes.

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia:
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder the symptoms of which include immoderate food restriction and irrational fear of gaining weight, as well as a distorted body self-perception. It typically involves excessive weight loss and usually occurs more in females than in males. Because of the fear of gaining weight, people with this disorder restrict the amount of food they consume. Outside of medical literature, the terms anorexia nervosa and anorexia are often used interchangeably; however, anorexia is simply a medical term for lack of appetite, and people with anorexia nervosa do not, in fact, lose their appetites. Patients with anorexia nervosa may experience dizziness, headaches, drowsiness and a lack of energy. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by low body weight, inappropriate eating habits, obsession with having a thin figure, and the fear of gaining weight. It is often coupled with a distorted self image which may be maintained by various cognitive biases that alter how the affected individual evaluates and thinks about their body, food and eating. People with anorexia often view themselves as "too fat" even if they are already underweight. Anorexia nervosa most often has its onset in adolescence and is more prevalent among adolescent females than adolescent males. People with anorexia nervosa continue to feel hunger, but they deny themselves all but very small quantities of food. The average caloric intake of a person with anorexia nervosa is 600800 calories per day, but extreme cases of complete self-starvation are known. It is a serious health condition with a high incidence of co morbidity and similarly high mortality rates to serious psychiatric disorders. People with anorexia have extremely high levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone that signals a physiological need for food) in their blood. The high levels of ghrelin suggest that their bodies are desperately trying to make them hungry; however, that hunger call is being suppressed, ignored, or overridden.

Binge Eating Disorder

Frequent episodes of consuming very large amount of food but without behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting. A feeling of being out of control during the binge eating episodes. Feelings of strong shame or guilt regarding the binge eating. Indications that the binge eating is out of control, such as eating when not hungry, eating to the point of discomfort, or eating alone because of shame about the behavior.

Bulimia Nervosa

Frequent episodes of consuming very large amount of food followed by behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting. A feeling of being out of control during the binge-eating episodes. Self-esteem overly related to body image.

Eating Disorders
By Amna Ashfaque