Eating Disorders

"Eating Disorders are health problems characterized by extremely harmful eating patterns," according to Nutrition and Fitness encyclopedia. Eating disorders are very common among American women. Between five and ten million people have eating disorders in America. One to four percent of all young women will develop some sort of eating disorder. The two most common types are anorexia (a.k.a. anorexia nervosa) and bulimia (a.k.a. bulimia nervosa). They are two different types with different symptoms and causes but they are sometimes combined. One might have one which leads to developing the other

No one is really sure what causes eating disorders, although there are many theories as to why people develop them. One theory that has been suggested is that anorexia nervosa is caused by a disorder in the part of the mid-brain, called the hypothalamus, that is concerned with the linkage between emotions and the nervous system and controls such functions as hunger, thirst, and sexual activity. It is more likely that any changes that have been detected in hypothalamic function are secondary to the effects of starvation influenced by psychological problems. Most people who develop an eating disorder are between the ages of 14 and 18 (although they can develop even earlier in some people). At this time in their lives, many teens don't feel as though they have much control over anything. The physical and emotional changes that go along with puberty can make it easy for even the most confident person to feel a bit out of control. By controlling their own bodies, people with eating disorders feels as though they can regain some control - even if it is done in unhealthy way.

For girls, even though it's completely normal (and necessary) to gain some additional body fat during puberty, some respond to this change by becoming very fearful of their new weight and feel compelled to get rid of it any way they can. It's easy to see why people may develop a fear of any weight gain, even if it's healthy and temporary: We're overloaded by images of thin celebrities - people who often weigh far less than their healthy weight. An average American women is 5'4 and weighs a healthy 142 pounds, the average fashion model is 5'9 and only weighs 110 pounds. When you combine the pressure to be like these role models with a changing body, it's not hard to see why teens develop a distorted body image.

Some individuals who develop eating disorders can also be depressed or anxious. Experts also think that some people with eating disorders may have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Their anorexia or bulimia gives them a way to handle the stresses and anxieties of being a teen and allows them to have control and impose order in their lives.

There is also evidence that eating disorders may run in families. Our parents influence our values and priorities, of course, including those toward food - which may be one reason eating disorders seem to run in families. But there also is a suggestion that there may be a genetic component to certain behaviors, and eating disorders could be one such behavior.

Some girls might be more apt to develop an eating disorder depending on the sport they choose. Gymnasts, ice-skaters, and ballerinas often operate in a culture where weight loss is important, and even runners might be encouraged to go on a diet. But in an effort to make their bodies perfect and please those around them, these athletes can end up with eating disorders.

Though it's unusual for guys to have anorexia or bulimia, it can occur, especially with the demands of certain sports. A sport like wrestling, for example, has specific weight categories that can lead some guys to develop an eating disorder. In some cases, eating disorders in male athletes are even unintentionally encouraged; they are taught that winning is the most important thing. Ten percent of the people suffering from eating disorders are males. They tend to mainly focus on their athletic appearance or their success.

But the truth is that an eating disorder does much more harm than good. Athletes with eating disorders, whether girls or boys, may find that because of a lack of energy and nutrients, their athletic performance