Download Disordered Eating

Disordered Eating
Disordered Eating vs. Eating
Disorder
• Eating disorders are psychiatric
conditions
– Extreme, continuous body dissatisfaction
coupled with long-term eating patterns
that negatively affect body functioning
– Typical behaviors = food restriction,
obsessive exercise, self-induced vomiting
– Anorexia & bulimia nervosa
Disordered Eating vs. Eating
Disorder
• Disordered Eating general application of
atypical eating behavior to maintain low
weight
– Going on & off diets; refusing to ingest fats
– Usually not chronic behaviors: rarely cause
illness
– Many people do seek psychiatric care for it
Intimately tied to body image
• Body image: the way you feel about
your body
Factors contributing to
Eating Disorders
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Family environment
Unrealistic media images
Sociocultural values
Personality traits
Genetic & Biological factors
Factors contributing to
Eating Disorders
• Family environment
– You’re more likely to develop an eating disorder if a
sibling has one
– Families with anorexic member are more “uptight”
• Rigid structure; avoidance of controversial topics; fuzzy
interpersonal boundaries
– Families with bulimic member are more “chaotic”
• Less stable organization; less nurturing; more angry &
disruptive
Factors contributing to
Eating Disorders
• Unrealistic media images
– Adolescents are less capable of understanding that
these are uncommon, unrealistic, and often
unnatural body types.
– Consequently less able to distance themselves from
a need to acquire that body
Factors contributing to
Eating Disorders
• Sociocultural values
– “Western values” contribute to eating disorders
• Significantly more common in white Western women than
others (worldwide)
– Everyday interactions with family and peers
influence how we feel about our bodies
Factors contributing to
Eating Disorders
• Personality Traits
– People with anorexia nervosa tend toward social
inhibition, compliance, emotional restraint
• Do these traits predispose one to the disease, or are they
side-effects of starvation?
– People with bulimia nervosa tend to be impulsive,
extroverted, have low self-esteem
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seek external validation
Prone to mood swings that result in binging
Prone to self-criticism
Prone to anxiety disorders and substance abuse
Factors contributing to
Eating Disorders
• Genetic & Biological factors
– Both bulimia & anorexia are much more common
among related individuals
• Could be due to genetic or cultural transmission
– Twin studies of bulimia nervosa found that
relatedness (heritability) & key environmental
factors EACH accounted for ~50% of the
variability in who was diagnosed
– Imbalances in hormones involved with feelings of
hunger may also be involved
Anorexia nervosa
• Suite of unhealthful practices employed
to reduce weight below 85% of normal
(for height & weight)
• 90-95% are young women
• 0.5-1% of US females develop AN
– 5 - 20 % of those diagnosed will die from
complications within 10 years.
• Leading cause of death in females aged
15-24
Anorexia nervosa
• Symptoms:
– Self-starvation; refusal to maintain minimal
body weight
– Intense fear of weight gain, despite being
underweight by all measures
– Undue influence of body weight on selfimage or denial of problem
– Amenorrhea in women past puberty
• Absence of at least three menstrual cycles
Anorexia nervosa
• Health risks:
– Loss of body fat
– Loss of proteins from skeletal muscle and organs.
Reduction of non-vital functions
• Periods cease; growth stops
– Electrolyte imbalance - leads to irregular heart beat
& heart failure (cramping is least of your worries)
– Cardiovascular problems - tachycardia, low bp,
dizziness
– GI problems - general weakness & loss of function
– Osteoporosis…why?
Bulimia nervosa
• Binging
– High rate & quantity of food consumption: more than
usual (in relation of time, place, social context)
– Loss of self control; inability to stop; sense of
euphoria
– Occur ~ twice or more per week
• Purging
– Usually, but not always, after each binge
– Vomiting, laxatives, obsessive exercise
Bulimia nervosa
• Prevalence
– Affects 1-4% of women (estimate)
– Mortality rates much lower than for AN (1%
dying within 10 years)
– Occurs mostly in women, but also in men
competing in sports requiring a thin build
Bulimia nervosa
• Symptoms
– Recurrent episodes of binging
– Recurrent inappropriate compensatory
behavior (laxatives, vomiting, diuretics)
– Binge-purge cycle continues for more than
three months
– Body shape & weight unduly influence selfimage
Bulimia nervosa
• Health risks
– Electrolyte imbalance leads to irregular heart beat
& heart failure
• Caused by dehydration & loss of Na+ and K+ through
vomiting
– GI problems: inflammation, ulceration, possible
rupture of esophagus
• Caused by HCl + mechanical trauma from frequent vomiting
– Dental problem: tooth decay, staining & mouth sores
• HCl in vomit
– Calluses on hands, swelling in cheek & jaw area
Disordered Eating patterns
• Binge eating
• Chronic dieting
• Chronic overeating
Binge Eating Disorder
• Symptoms:
– Often overweight
– Lack of control during binging
– Chaotic eating behaviors (eating too fast,
too much, in private)
– Negative self-esteem, poor body image
– Often associated with depression, substance
abuse, anxiety disorders
Binge Eating Disorder
• Health Risks:
– Increased risk of overweight or obesity
– Foods eaten during binge are often high in
fat and sugar
– Increased stress (caused be negative selftalk) leads to psychological distress
Chronic Dieting
• Symptoms:
– Preoccupation with food, weight, calories
• Classify food as “good” or “bad”
– Strict dieting
– Excessive exercise
• Chronic fatigue
– Loss of concentration; mood swings
– Increased criticism of body shape
Chronic dieting
• Health Risks:
– Insuffiecient nutrient intake
– Insufficient caloric intake
• low vitamin and mineral intake
– Decreased energy expenditure due to a
reduced BMR
– Decreased ability to exercise
– Increased risk of eating disorder
Reduced BMR with dieting
Female Athlete Triad
• Female athlete triad: serious medical syndrome
frequently seen in female athletes; consists of
– Disordered eating
– Menstrual dysfunction
– Osteoporosis
• Seen especially in sports that emphasize lean
bodies or use subjective scoring
– Examples?