Causes And Consequences Of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Three of the most discussed are anorexia, bulimia, and what researchers call EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified). Each of the eating disorders can be fatal in their own way. What are the signs, what do they do to you and your body, and what can be done to treat the problem? Researchers have studied long and hard into these three disorders so that those questions could be answered to the best of their ability. In this paper, the outcomes of the research that was done and the thesis

Nowadays, when people emphasis more and more on healthy lifestyles, both exercise and food intake have become a big part of the consideration. With the goals of being fit and losing weight, some people eat irregularly or do not eat at all. As a result, eating disorders seem more often on news and reports. However, some people still view it as a joke. With the increasing number of people diagnosed with eating disorders, people should raise awareness on the effects of eating disorders and treat them seriously.

At present, these eating disorders have an effect on roughly 25 million Americans, of which almost 25% are of the male gender. Out of all the psychological disorders, anorexia has the highest mortality rate. The whys and wherefores include malnourishment, substance abuse and reckless suicides. Eating disorders can happen to anyone; no matter whether they’re male or female, rich or poor, old or young. According to many researchers, eating disorders are caused by more than just food. There are numerous

Thesis Statement: It is important to understand eating disorders and the types of eating disorders to overcome them and seek the proper treatment.

There is a global health crisis affecting many people around the world. Eating Disorders is a mental health condition often misunderstood by people that do not have the condition. It can trigger vomiting, bingeing, depression, and health issues. Eating disorders are illnesses that cause serious disturbances to the everyday diet. They can affect men, women and children of all ages. This research paper will describe the different types of eating disorders, who may be affected by the eating disorders, what resources are available for those who have eating disorder illness, how to treat the illness, and why they are a global

Eating disorders are in no way, to be considered “no big deal”. It affects the lives of many poor unsuspecting human beings and in some cases, fatally takes lives. This topic presents many things that most people don’t know. Such as the fact that bulimia nervosa has similar symptoms to using the drug heroin! Rotten teeth, pale and dry skin, and even failing organs are usually signs that someone may have bulimia. There are always key signs and factors to recognizing an eating disorder. Eating disorders are serious. We all should be aware of the affect it has on an individual, and if anyone knows or sees a person struggling with an eating disorder, outreaching and a simple hand in the right direction can save a life. Eating disorders get in the mind of an individual, then ruin the body, then finally ruin the mind.

Eating Disorders affect 5-10 million Americans, and thousands of people die each year from their complications. Although some groups are at a greater risk than others, eating disorders occur in people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We do not know what causes eating disorders, but many factors have been identified that may play a role (Smolin and Mary Grosvenor, 40).

Eating disorders are classified as mental disorders and can lead to life threatening damage. It is important to manage eating disorders to prevent health effects. There are many different possibilities for patients with disorders. Common treatments for eating disorders can consists of counselor or therapists. Early detection is important to limit future oral health effects. A dental hygienist has an advantage to see the inside of the mouth for possible trauma, erosion, and malnutrition. It is common for patients to be in denial of the situation. A dental hygienist is trained to communication to the patient about the eating disorder without the patient feeling attacked. It is important to tell the difference in eating disorders. Most eating disorders all appear to be anorexia until further signs and symptoms are observed. The two types of eating disorders being discussed in this paper are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder distinguished by its psychological, physiological, developmental, and social components. The disorder is characterized by binge eating shortly followed by harmful compensatory behaviors, such as abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas, stimulants, vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise. This is known as the “Binge-Purge Cycle”. Unlike anorexia nervosa, those with bulimia nervosa fall within a normal or slightly overweight weight range and usually perform their eating disordered behaviors in secret due to the severe feelings of shame and disgust which accompany the binge-purge cycle. Due to the intensity of the combined mental and physical assault bulimia has on the body, complications of bulimia can stay with a patient long after recovery is achieved. Such complications include, but are not limited to: Decaying tooth enamel (tooth rot) due to the stomach acid constantly eroding the protective layering on the teeth; those who have suffered from this eating disorder for more than seven years (the average time of recovery for those with bulimia nervosa) have a great likelihood of rupturing either their stomach or

Eating disorders were rarely heard of before the 1980s, but after that, they exploded everywhere. With the media constantly depicted “perfect” bodies, people have set unrealistic expectations for themselves. It is estimated that approximately 36 million women have an eating disorder. Over 5 million of those women are American. Although eating disorders know no boundaries, the majority of the people whom contract either of these illnesses are females ages 15-24. The most common eating disorder is binge eating, affecting about 3.5% of all women and 2% of all men. As the number of those affected continues to increase, so does to mortality rate. As mentioned before, eating disorders are the deadliest mental illness and are 12 times more deadly than all causes of death in females 15-24 years of

In the United States alone, more than 10 million people suffer from some form of eating disorder. These serious, sometimes fatal diseases, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, not only can cause organ damage, low blood pressure, and severe dehydration, but they can also severely affect a person’s oral health, according to dentists. If you or someone you know suffers from an eating disorder, the dental professionals at Milford Dental Excellence in Milford, OH urge you to consult a dentist right away to determine if your oral health is at stake.

Both the acute and chronic psychiatric and medical consequences of eating disorders are well documented and include osteoporosis, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and skeletal disorders, dental problems, nutritional deficiencies, obesity, psychiatric disorders, and substance use.

Some extremely harsh eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia. They can affect the condition of the whole oral cavity. These disorders can result in enamel loss, caries, oral mucosal lesions, oral stomatitis, sensitivity of the teeth, and parotid gland swelling. It can also affect the function of your saliva production. Bulimia causes increased acidic gastrointestinal contents from purging. This causes tooth erosion of the lingual and occlusal surfaces on maxillary teeth. Increased saliva production causes enlarged parotid glands, due to the vomiting episodes. By frequently eating foods and then vomiting them back up, exposes the mouth constantly, to acid from food, fluid, vomit, or all three. People who suffer from bulimia are at greater risk of tooth erosion and decay than those without the disorder. People with anorexia are at risk of problems due to nutrient deficiencies, because of their lack of food

Studies have shown that three percent of males and eight percent of females who were in high school said that they have either purged or took laxatives to lose weight (3). The symptoms of bulimia are tooth erosion, swallowing problems, esophagus problems, and acute stomach distress (“Eating Disorders”). However, binge eating disorder is completely opposite from anorexia and bulimia. Binge eating is when a person over eats in a short period of time. According to Susan Frissell and Paula Harney, two percent of the population suffers from binge eating disorder (27). Studies show that depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and stomach pain is found in many people who suffer from binge eating disorder (Elkins 45; Kittleson 4). Many people will develop binge eating disorder because they want to distract themselves from a painful event that has happened in their life (Frissell and Harney 27).

Each year millions of people in the United States are affected by serious and sometimes life-threatening eating disorders. The vast majorities are adolescents and young adult women. Approximately one percent of adolescent girls develops anorexia nervosa, a dangerous condition in which they can literally starve themselves to death. Another two to three percent develop bulimia nervosa, a destructive pattern of excessive overeating followed by vomiting or other " purging " behaviors to control their weight. These eating disorders also occur in men and older women, but much less frequently. The consequences of eating disorders can be severe. For example, one in ten anorexia nervosa leads to death from starvation, cardiac arrest, or