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Introduction
Basically, there are many factors that control the eating habit which includes the appetite,
availability of food, cultural practices, peer influence, family together with the voluntary control
attempts. The current fashion treads are highly promoting dieting the weight of a body that is
leaner than the health requires. Other activities that are promoting dieting are professions, sales
campaigns that are aimed at promoting special foods together with some other activities. This
study analyses the issues surrounding the eating habits in relation to the causes, categories
among others through which a broad perspective will be provided on the underlying issue.
Various studies have previously carried out on the eating habits. Through these studies, different
perspectives have been provided in regards to the eating habits. This study aims at providing
more clear highlights in relation to this problem.
Overview of eating disorders
Serious disturbances are usually involved in the eating disorders that have included
excess reduction in the food that is taken or even overeating that has been perceived to be severe
or even distress feelings as well as concerns that are extreme in relation to the shape of the body
and the weight. Various studies have investigated the reason for the behavior that are initially
perceived to be voluntary, and which at the early stages includes eating either extremely large or
small amounts of food. These behaviors have had a tendency of moving beyond control based on
some individuals and even developing into eating disorder. The studies that have been carried
out on the biology of basic control of the appetite as well as the alteration through eating that is
prolonged or even starvation have been able to uncover a complexity that is enormous. However,
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in the long run, these studies have had a potential of leading in the treatment for pharmacologic
disorders.Wonderlich et al (688)has highlighted that the eating disorders do not usually result from
the behaviors or failure of will; but instead, they have been perceived to be medical illnesses that
are treatable and which a life of its own is taken by a certain maladaptive eating patterns.
Erguner- Tekinalp (68) notes that there are various types of eating disorders and the main
includes Bulimia Nervosa and anorexia nervosa. (1). Binge is highlighted as the third type of
eating disorder (Wonderlich et al 242) that has been suggested although it has not received
approval as a psychiatric diagnosis that is formal. Basically, eating disorders have been
perceived to develop mainly at the period of adolescence or even during the period of early
adulthood although there are some reports that have shown the possibility of this onset occurring
during the childhood or even at the late stages of the adulthood.
According to American Psychiatric Association Workgroup on Eating Disorders
(APAWED 2), there has been perceived to be a concurrence in the eating disorders with other
psychiatric disorders that have included substance abuse, depression and disorders connected to
anxiety. In addition, the people suffering from the eating disorders have a high likelihood of
experiencing a wide range of complications that are related to the physical health that includes
kidney failure and serious heart complications through which death may be the result. Therefore,
it has been highlighted as critically important if the eating disorders can be recognized as
diseases that are real and treatable. Andersen (77) notes that there is a high likelihood of having
more females than males developing the eating disorders. The male that are estimated to have
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bulimia or anorexia ranges from only 5 to 15 percent while those having binge eating disorder
have been perceived to account to 35 percent with the rest being females (Andersen 77).
Assessment of anorexia Nervosa
During their lifetime, it has been estimated that the number of females suffering from
anorexia accounts to 0.6 to 3.6 percent (APAWED 3). Anorexia has been perceived to have
various symptoms which include resistance of maintaining the body weight above a range that is
perceived to be normal for a particular height and age. The fear that has been perceived to be
intense in terms of weight gain results to individuals avoiding fatness through becoming
underweight, a certain disturbance feeling of the way that an individual experiences shape and
body weight, the shape or body weight undue influence and menstrual periods that are not
frequent or even absent at times for the females that are already at the puberty age (John and
Michael 240).
With this type of disorder, the patients usually find themselves feeling like they are
overweight although in real sense they are very thin. These individuals usually experience an
obsession on the process of eating. In addition, there is usually a development of eating habits
that are unusual which have been perceived to include avoiding meals and food, selectively
picking small quantities which tends to be eaten through sensitively portioning and weighing the
food being consumed. The anorexia victims are also usually frequent on checking their body
weight with many engaging in other techniques in the bind to control their weight, such as
exercising intensively and compulsively together with even abusing the laxatives, diuretics and
anemas. The onset of the first period of the menstrual cycle is also usually delayed in those girls
that have anorexia.
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The anorexia nervosa course and outcome as been perceived to have variation across
individuals; with the recovery of some individuals taking place within a single encounter with
others experiencing a course of illness that chronically deteriorate over for many years. The
estimation of the mortality rate of the people that have anorexia has been 5.5 percent every
decade; this is twelve times higher when compared to the annual rate of death resulting from
other causes in the females that have an age ranging from 15 to 24 years (Wonderlich et al 688).
The complications of the disorder has been perceived to be the most common cause of death
which has included electrolyte imbalance, cardiac arrest and even suicide in the extreme cases.
Assessment of Bulimia nervosa
On estimation, 1.1 percent up to 4.1 percent of the females has in their lifetime been
diagnosed with bulimia nervosa. APAWED (4) has highlighted the various bulimia symptoms.
The recurrent binge eating episodes has been indentified as the main symptom. This is usually
characterized by excessive consumption of food within a short period of time together with a
sense where by the individual usually lacks control over consumption within this period. In
addition Bruce (65) also highlights that these patients usually have behaviors that are
inappropriately compensatory; aimed at reducing the weight gain, which includes inducing
oneself to vomiting or laxatives and anemas as well as other medications misuse. The bulimia
nervosa victims have also been characterized with binge eating as well as other behaviors that
are inappropriately compensatory and which have been perceived to occur at least in a week for a
period of three months. In these patients, the self evaluation has been seen to be influenced by
the body as well as the shape.
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Based on the fact that the binge eating habit is usually followed by purging together with
other compensatory behavior, the weight of the people with bulimia is usually seen to be within a
range that is normal for their height and age (Keel 707). However, just like those individuals
that have anorexia, there is usually the fear of weight gain coupled with a feeling of
dissatisfaction for their bodies. The behaviors that are usually associated with the people with
bulimia are usually performed secretly, with a feeling of shame as they binge although they
usually have a feeling of satisfaction once they have purged.
Assessment of the binge eating disorder
According to the surveys that have been carried out in the community, between 2 and 5
percent of the Americans are perceived to experience the binge eating disorder in a period of six
months (Bruce 66). Bruce notes the recurrent eating episodes as one of the binge disorders
symptoms which are noted to be characterized with excessive food consumption within a time
period that is discrete and a feeling of lacking control throughout this period. The binge eating
episodes have been perceived to be connected with; the behavior whereby the individual eats in a
more rapid manner than it is normally, eating until an individuals has the feeling of being
uncomfortable, eating amounts of food that are large when an individual does not physically
feels hungry, the habit of eating alone due to the fears of being embarrassed by the eating habits,
a feeling of being depressed with one self or even guilt feelings ensuing after overeating. There
is basically some marked distress over the behavior of binge eating which usually has been
perceived to have an occurrence of at least two days in every week for a period of six months.
However, the binge eating has not been connected with the normal use compensatory behaviors
that are inappropriate such as fasting, purging and exercising excessively (Keel 707).
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The binge eating disorder patients usually have an experience of frequent episodes in
which their eating behaviors usually gets out of control. The binge eating symptoms mostly
resembles those experienced in bulimia. The major difference results from the fact that there is
usually no body bulging of the excess calories by the individuals with binge eating disorders
(Keel 707). Therefore, many with the binge eating disorders are mostly overweight in relation to
their height and age. The shame and self-disgust feelings that are usually associated with the
binge eating disorder are usually perceived to result in further bingeing thereby leading to
creation of a binge eating cycle.
Analysis of the treatment strategies
Basically, Keel (708) maintains that there can be a possibility of fully treating the eating
disorders and restoration of the healthy weight. Making sure that the disorders are diagnosed and
treated as soon as possible will have a high likelihood of better outcomes. Based on their nature
of complexity, a comprehensive treatment plan is usually required which involves monitoring
and medical care, nutritional counseling and psychological intervention and there is need for
medication management when appropriate. During the diagnosis period, Andersen (80)
maintains the need for the clinician determining whether there is immediate danger in the person
as well as requirement for hospitalization.
The anorexia treatment requires a specific individual program involving; restoration of
the weight that has been lost as a result of purging and dieting severely, treatment of the
psychological disturbances that includes body image distortion, interpersonal conflicts, low self
esteem together with achievement of long term rehabilitation and remission. Most of those
patients that have undergone an early diagnosis and treatment have resulted to increased rate of
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success. However, the medication use to the anorexia eating disorder patients has been
recommended after the establishment of weight gain. In addition, there are certain specific
serotonin uptake inhibitors that have been noted to be very helpful in the maintenance of the
weight in addition to resolution of the symptoms related to the anxiety and moods that have been
connected with anorexia. The acute severe weight loss management has been provided in the
hospital setting of the in patient, whereby the feeding plans are usually aimed at addressing the
nutritional and medical needs of a person.
Conclusion
In most cases, the people with eating disorders will hardly recognize their condition as
that of being ill. Based on this, there may be a strong resistance for the treatment. The treatment
will vary with the nature of the disorder and the intensity of the effect will also vary. The help of
the family members and those close to these patients can be very helpful in ensuring that
attention in form of rehabilitation and care is given to those patients that are suffering from
various forms of eating disorders. The treatment procedure will vary from one patient to the
other and the early diagnosis and treatment has been perceived in this study to generate more
positive results. Therefore this study has provided information which should form the basis for
further investigation on the broad view of the eating disorders.
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Work cited
American Psychiatric Association Work Group on Eating Disorders (EPAWED). Practice
guideline for the treatment of patients with eating disorders (revision). American Journal of
Psychiatry, 2000; 157: 1-39.
Andersen AE. Eating disorders in males: a comprehensive handbook. New York: Guilford Press,
1995; 177-87.
Bruce B, Agras WS. Binge eating in females: a population-based investigation. International
Journal of Eating Disorders, 1992; 12: 365-73.
Erguner-Tekinalp, Bengu; Gillespie, Catherine Wilson.Mental Health Practitioners Professional
Opinions of Eating Disorders. International Journal of Mental Health, 2010, Vol. 39 Issue 3,
p68-87, 20p
John R. E.; Michael J.Eating Disorders and Multilevel Models of Emotion. Clinical Psychology
& Psychotherapy, 2009, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p240-267, 28p
Keel, Pamela K.; Striegel-Moore, Ruth H.The validity and Utility of Purging Disorder.
International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2009, Vol. 42 Issue 8, p706-719, 14p
Sim, Leslie A.; Mcalpine, Donald E.; Grothe, Karen B.; Himes, Susan M.; Cockerill, Richard G.;
Clark, Matthew M.Identification and Treatment of Eating Disorders in the Primary Care Setting.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2010, Vol. 85 Issue 8, p746-751, 6p
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Wonderlich, Stephen A.; Gordon, Kathryn H.; Mitchell, James E.; Crosby, Ross D.; Engel, Scott
G.The Validity of Clinical Utility of binge eating disorder. International Journal of Eating
Disorders, Dec2009, Vol. 42 Issue 8, p687-705, 19p