Definition
Eating disorders are complex, chronic illnesses largely misunderstood and misdiagnosed. The most common eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder – are on the rise in the United States and worldwide. No one knows exactly what causes eating disorders. However, all socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural groups are at risk. More than ninety percent of those with eating disorders are women. Further, the number of American women affected by these illnesses has doubled to at least five million in the past three decades. Eating disorders are one of the key health issues facing young women. Studies in the last decade show that eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors are related to other health risk behaviors, including tobacco use, alcohol use, marijuana use, delinquency, unprotected sexual activity, and suicide attempts. Currently, 1-4% of all young women in the United States are affected by eating disorders.1 Anorexia nervosa, for example, ranks as the third most common chronic illness among adolescent females in the United States.
Articles
- Body Image – Loving Yourself Inside & Out
- Boys and Eating Disorders
- EATING DISORDERS Information Sheet
- Eating Disorders
Article Summaries
Body Image – Loving Yourself Inside & Out“Mirror, Mirror on the wall…who’s the thinnest one of all?” According to the National Eating Disorders Association, the average American woman is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. The average American model is 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 117 pounds. All too often, society associates being “thin”, with “hard-working, beautiful, strong and self-disciplined.” On the other hand, being “fat” is associated with being “lazy, ugly, weak and lacking will-power.” Because of these harsh critiques, rarely are women completely satisfied with their image. As a result, they often feel great anxiety and pressure to achieve and/or maintain an imaginary appearance. Eating disorders are serious medical problems. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are all types of eating disorders. Eating disorders frequently develop during adolescence or early adulthood, but can occur during childhood or later in adulthood. Females are more likely than males to develop an eating disorder.
This information sheet provides information on boys and eating disorders. It includes suggestions for creating a school environment that discourages disordered eating and promotes the early detection of eating disorders. Boys can and do develop eating disorders Eating disorders often are seen as problems affecting only girls. However, studies suggest that hundreds of thousands of boys are experiencing these disorders. Although bulimia is not common among males, 1 in 4 preadolescent cases of anorexia have been found to occur in boys. Studies also suggest that boys may be as likely as girls to develop binge eating disorder. Males make up the majority of people identified as having muscle dysmorphia, a type of body image disorder characterized by extreme concern with becoming more muscular.
EATING DISORDERS Information Sheet
Eating disorders are complex, chronic illnesses largely misunderstood and misdiagnosed. The most common eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder – are on the rise in the United States and worldwide. No one knows exactly what causes eating disorders. However, all socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural groups are at risk. More than ninety percent of those with eating disorders are women. Further, the number of American women affected by these illnesses has doubled to at least five million in the past three decades.
An eating disorder is marked by extremes. It is present when a person experiences severe disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme reduction of food intake or extreme overeating, or feelings of extreme distress or concern about body weight or shape. A person with an eating disorder may have started out just eating smaller or larger amounts of food than usual, but at some point, the urge to eat less or more spirals out of control. Eating disorders are very complex, and despite scientific research to understand them, the biological, behavioral and social underpinnings of these illnesses remain elusive. The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. A third category is “eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS),” which includes several variations of eating disorders. Most of these disorders are similar to anorexia or bulimia but with slightly different characteristics. Binge-eating disorder, which has received increasing research and media attention in recent years, is one type of EDNOS.