Anorexia Nervosa Thesis Statement

There is a direct correlation between environmental factors and the development of eating disorders. Issues, such as bullying and skeptical comments, have been largely ignored. This thesis will attempt to show that biological as well as environmental issues correlate with a variety of eating disorders. Eating disorders would be Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating. When environmental and biological factors are both considered, the symptoms and risks of these eating disorders are heightened.

Eating disorder is the abnormal eating behavior that would negatively impact one’s health, emotions and ability to function in important areas of life. Eating disorders include several categories: binge eating disorder, which means people eat large amount in a short period, anorexia nervosa which people eat very little, bulimia nervosa which people eat a lot and then try to rid themselves of food, pica which people eat non-food items, rumination disorder means people regurgitate food, avoidant food intake means that people have a lack of interest in food, and other specified eating disorders (ANAD). There is believed to be no single cause for eating disorders, as all the biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors contribute to this illness. Studies have shown that specific chromosomes may be associated with bulimia and anorexia (NY times). Eating disorders may also be caused by imbalance of serotonin and dopamine which explain why people who have anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is categorized by severe food restriction, excessive exercise and body dysmorphia, which leads those that suffer from it to believe that they are overweight. Anorexia nervosa is commonly misunderstood by the general public. Research has disproved many of the previous thoughts about anorexia nervosa. According to the scientific research anorexia nervosa has a genetic factor, is not just a disorder of teenage girls, and that recovery is not simply gaining weight.

Eating disorders are diseases in which people have an unhealthy relationship with their food, and negative image reflecting how their body looks, such as, the fear of gaining weight. This type of body dysmorphia can lead to damaging eating habits, such as; starvation, purging, and even binging. Furthermore, there are numerous eating disorders recognized today, the most common being binge disorder, causing the affected person to eat far too much and experience pain, discomfort, and irritable bowel symptoms, bulimia which causes the affected person to purge their food through vomiting, and one of the most common eating disorders -- anorexia nervosa. (Eating Disorders, 2008) Many of these disorders can be treated in multiple ways, the most common way is through counselling with a social worker, the social worker helps develop a treatment plan for the client and aids them in their recovery.

Eating disorders have become an increasing public health problem once thought to be an affliction amongst young women, now an epidemic across culture and gender boundaries. Anorexia gives rise to serious socio-economic and bio-psychological circumstances of our ever vast, growing society. Awareness of eating disorders have increased but perhaps only in proportion to its advancement of its research and treatment. That which still leaves us in a position for a much greater demand for education and heightened awareness of this perplexing disease.

People with anorexia see themselves as overweight even though they are dangerously thin. The process of eating becomes an obsession to them. Anorexia is a psychiatric disorder, which usually co-exist with other disorder such as, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. There are many biological and environmental factors that play a major role in developing anorexia. Genetics is one of the biological factors that may play a role. The tie between anorexia and one’s genes is still being heavily researched. Nutritional deficiencies and irregular hormone functions can as while. Some environmentally factors could be like a family or childhood traumas such as sexual abuse. Peer pressure among friends and co-workers to be thin and careers that promote being thin and weight loss such as, ballet and modeling can also play an important

A combination of genetic, physical, social, and psychological factors may contribute to the development of an eating disorder, such as Anorexia. Anorexia is an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat. Eating disorders effect ten million females and one million males in the United States. Also 0.3 percent of the eating disorders occur in teenage children.

Anorexia Nervosa is perhaps one of, if not the most well-known eating disorder. Anorexia Nervosa is the condition of a lack or loss of appetite and is also classified as an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat.

Psychological illnesses in which a person has abnormal eating habits such as eating too much or eating too little are called eating disorders. There are three main types of eating disorders. The types or eating disorders are bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder. There are many causes of eating disorders. Eating disorders are most commonly caused by the way genetic vulnerability, psychological factors, and socio-cultural influences (Eating Disorders Risk Factors). Eating disorders can be very harmful or even deadly.

According to Mayo clinic anorexia, Nervosa is an eating disorder with a serious condition related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact your health, your emotions and your ability to function in important areas-a lack or a loss of appetite in food. Those who suffer from this illness undergo mild to severe symptoms, emotional and behavior, as well as psychological changes.

Eating disorders have been found through centuries of doctors records. Some as far back as the seventeenth century through Morton (1694) descriptions of the symptoms of eating disorders during this period in time. Despite this eating disorders were only formally known as a disorder until 1980 when it was published in the DSM and more recent editions have shown that there are two different forms of eating disorders which are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. This assignment will discuss how social, cultural and family environment can contribute to the development of these eating disorders and why

Historically, many researchers focused on the environmental factors which lead to the development of eating disorders. More recently, researchers such as Baker et. al (2009) and Racine et. al (2011) have focused on the genetic and physiological factors that affect eating disorders, while researchers like Keel and Klump (2003), Striegel-Moore and Bulik (2007), and Wade et. al (2013) have been focusing on environmental factors, genetic factors, and the combination thereof.

However, there is environmental causes, such as the stress due to living with anorectic or bulimic family member, that seem to accompany the genetic predisposition, presenting the importance of both factors. In addition, previous research has suggested that childhood adversities may be associated and contribute to triggering eating disorders. Regarding this, it is difficult to distinguish if the disease is primarily genetic or if it’s a result of a stigmatization of search of a socially constructed

1.There is a combination of different forces; individual, sociocultural and family, that lead to the development of eating disorders. Neurology is a factor as disturbances to neurotransmitters and serotonin can affect brain activities that make an individual more susceptible to develop disordered behaviors associated with eating disorders. Genetics are also an important factor to eating disorders as they are inheritable and recessive in future generations. Personal, predisposed characteristics are another influence in eating disorders. Those who have self-esteem deficits, easily persuadable, perfectionists and acutely self-aware individuals all bear risks to developing eating disorders as these traits burden individuals to achieve

Finally, we will look at possible treatments for anorexia. People that suffer can get better and gradually learn to eat normally again. Anorexia involves both mind and body. Therapy or counseling is a critical part of treating eating disorders. In many cases family therapy is one of the keys to eating healthily again. Parents and other family members are important in helping the person see that his or her