Definition
Many women face body image issues at some point throughout their lives. This is a normal part of development and is often influenced by friends, family, romantic partners, society, and the media. In addition, many women are or have been on a diet and try to control their weight in a variety of ways. Eating disorders have beome common in America – over 7 million people have them. More than ninety percent of those with eating disorders are women. Furthermore, the number of American women affected by eating disorders has doubled to at least five million in the past three decades.[1] They are a critical health issue facing young women today.[2] This fact sheet focuses on bulimia nervosa and contains information that should help clarify what it is, as well as make suggestions on what to do if you or someone you know is dealing with an eating disorder. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by self-perpetuating and self-defeating cycles of binge eating and purging.[3] Women who suffer from bulimia nervosa follow a routine of secretive, uncontrolled or binge eating (ingesting an abnormally large amount of food within a set period of time) followed by behaviors to rid the body of the food consumed. This includes self-induced vomiting and/or the misuse of laxatives, diet pills, diuretics (water pills), excessive exercise or fasting.4 Causes of Bulimia Nervosa
Articles
- Binge Eating Definitions
- Binge Eating Disorder facts
- Why do eating disorders (bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa) require medical attention?
- Bulimia Nervosa Information
- Bulimia Nervosa Facts
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge Eating Disorder (Bulimia)
Article Summaries
Binge Eating DefinitionsBinge eating is an eating disorder characterized by eating more than a person needs d to satisfy hunger. It is a feature of bulimia, a disorder that also includes abnormal perception of body image, constant craving for food and binge eating, followed by self-induced vomiting or laxative use. Bulimia is most common among adolescents or young adults, usually female. People with bulimia typically consume large quantities of easily ingested high-calorie foods, usually in secrecy. Binge eating is usually followed by self-induced vomiting and accompanied by feelings of guilt or depression.
People with binge eating disorder often eat an unusually large amount of food and feel out of control during the binges. No one knows for sure what causes binge eating disorder. People with binge eating disorder are usually very upset by their binge eating and may become depressed. Research has shown that people with binge eating disorder report more health problems, stress, trouble sleeping, and suicidal thoughts than people without an eating disorder. People with binge eating disorder often feel badly about themselves and may miss work, school, or social activities to binge eat.
Why do eating disorders (bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa) require medical attention?
Anorexia may be a single, limited episode with large weight loss within a few months followed by recovery. Or it may develop gradually and persist for years. The illness may go back and forth between getting better and getting worse. Or it may steadily get more severe. Anorectics may exercise excessively. Their preoccupation with food usually prompts habits such as moving food about on the plate and cutting it into tiny pieces to prolong eating, and not eating with the family. Obsessed with weight loss and fear of becoming fat, anorectics see normal folds of flesh as “fat” that must be eliminated. When the normal fat padding is lost, sitting or lying down brings discomfort not rest, making sleep difficult. As the disorder continues, victims may become isolated and withdraw from friends and family.
Many women face body image issues at some point throughout their lives. This is a normal part of development and is often influenced by friends, family, romantic partners, society, and the media. In addition, many women are or have been on a diet and try to control their weight in a variety of ways. Eating disorders have beome common in America – over 7 million people have them. More than ninety percent of those with eating disorders are women. Furthermore, the number of American women affected by eating disorders has doubled to at least five million in the past three decades.[1] They are a critical health issue facing young women today.[2] This fact sheet focuses on bulimia nervosa and contains information that should help clarify what it is, as well as make suggestions on what to do if you or someone you know is dealing with an eating disorder.
Bulimia nervosa, or bulimia, is a type of eating disorder. Someone with bulimia eats a lot of food in a short amount of time (bingeing) and then tries to get rid of the calories by purging. Bulimia is more than just a problem with food. It’s a way of using food to feel in control of other feelings that may seem overwhelming. Purging and other behaviors to prevent weight gain are ways for people with bulimia to feel more in control of their lives and to ease stress and anxiety. Unlike anorexia, when people are severely underweight, people with bulimia may be underweight, overweight, or have a normal weight.
Many people think that only young, upper-class, white females get eating disorders. It is true that many more women than men have bulimia. In fact, 9 out of 10 people with bulimia are women. But bulimia can affect anyone: Men, older women, and women of color can become bulimic. It was once thought that women of color were protected from eating disorders by their cultures. These cultures tend to be more accepting of all body sizes. But research shows that as women of color are more exposed to images of thin women, they are more likely to get eating disorders. African-American, Latina, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaska Native women can become bulimic. What causes bulimia?
Binge Eating Disorder (Bulimia)
Most of us overeat from time to time, and some of us often feel we have eaten more than we should have. Eating a lot of food does not necessarily mean that you have binge eating disorder. Experts generally agree that most people with serious binge eating problems often eat an unusually large amount of food and feel their eating is out of control. Binge eating also occurs in another eating disorder called bulimia nervosa. Persons with bulimia nervosa, however, usually purge, fast, or do strenuous exercise after they binge eat. Purging means vomiting or using a lot of diuretics (water pills) or laxatives to keep from gaining weight. Fasting is not eating for at least 24 hours. Strenuous exercise, in this case, means exercising for more than an hour just to keep from gaining weight after binge eating. Purging, fasting, and overexercising are dangerous ways to try to control your weight.