Children and Eating Disorders Essay

Eating disorders in the United States are becoming more and more prominent as the years go by. Up to 24 million people in the United States suffer from eating disorders (ANAD, 2015), according to a secondary source research by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), the oldest and the most prominent organization aimed at fighting various eating disorders in the United States. Prominently, eating disorders in adolescents continue to be a serious problem and may result in premature death or life-long medical and psychosocial morbidity (Vale, B., Brito, S., Paulos, L., & Moleiro, P., 2014). According to a peer-reviewed, primary source by eating disorder specialists, eating disorders are classified according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition , as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified (Vale, B., Brito, S., Paulos, L., & Moleiro, P., 2014). The two major eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are very common amongst adolescents, specifically young girls. While the symptoms of anorexia nervosa is more evident through the dramatic change in body weight, bulimia nervosa can be overlooked as many with the disease have a normal body weight (Mulheim, 2012).

Many children and adolescents not only express dissatisfaction with their figure, shape and weight, but also exhibit disordered eating behavior, such as binge eating (eating a large amount of food with a sense of lack of control), food restriction, laxative abuse and vomiting. For children and adolescents, eating disorders can overlap in many instances. As an example, some children alternate between periods of anorexia and bulimia. Eating disorders typically develop during adolescence or early adulthood. However, research has shown that they can start in childhood, too. Females are much more vulnerable. Only an estimated 5% to 15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are male. With binge eating, the number rises to 35%

With children as early as age 7 showing dissatisfaction with their body, and as young as 9 starting dieting, eating disorders are a serious issue in our society. Taking a look at perceptions, behaviors, and medical issues associated with the disorders of anorexia and bulimia, scholars have tried to categorize and find answers to the problems which certain adolescents suffer. In this paper I focused on the two major eating disorders of anorexia and bulimia.

Girls are indoctrinated at a very young age that the well known Barbie doll is how a woman is supposed to look, which includes no fat, but large breasts, and due to that false view of a woman’s body, it is more than likely that young girls today will approach puberty with a negative body image. Although children can develop eating disorders as early as 6 years old, it is typically the teen years where it becomes out of control. Dr. Jonathon Rader says that “more than half of teenaged girls are, or think they should be, on diets. They want to lose all or some of the forty pounds that females naturally gain between 8 and 14. About three percent of these teens go too far, becoming anorexic or bulimic” (Rader). Almost everyone has heard of the terms “anorexic” and “bulimic” whether it was on TV or in a magazine, but not many people know the true facts and dangers that go along with them. They also might not even realize that there are other types of eating disorders that people are dealing with, some of which are not even specified. Exactly what are eating disorders?

This type of behavior surrounds us in our everyday lives yet we continue to turn a blind eye. It is vital that we identify the causes of these eating disorders, in an attempt to prevent them in the future, for no girl at

Eating disorders have long been a problem in the United States. Most fail to grasp the severity until someone close to them experiences the difficulties. Personally, I realized the prevalence of eating disorders when several children endeared to me commented that they feel “too fat” or skipped meals in order to not become obese. Instead of a teenage friend at school that one would assume, younger children that range from seven to ten years of age made these comments. Realizing the problem, I decided that I would create a program that would educate younger children regarding the seriousness and effects of eating disorders.

Each year millions of people in the United States develop serious and often fatal eating disorders. More than ninety percent of those are adolescent and young women. The consequences of eating disorders are often severe--one in ten end in death from either starvation, cardiac arrest, or suicide. Due to the recent awareness of this topic, much time and money has been attributed to eating disorders. Many measures have been taken to discover leading causes and eventual treatment for those suffering from anorexia. (http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource ...er.html#Causes of Eating Disorders) )

Eating disorders: noun. A group of psychological ailments characterized by intense fear of becoming obese, distorted body image, and prolonged food refusal (anorexia nervosa) and/or binge eating followed by purging through induced vomiting, heavy exercise, or use of laxatives (bulimia nervosa).These ailments are not pretty. In this society, where only the fit and thin bodies are accepted and appreciated, eating disorders are more common than they should be. Children, starting at a young age, see skinny people on television and in magazines. They hear comments on how their bodies look, then hear the same people turn around and make nasty comments on someone else’s figure. This is not okay, because it is teaching young people that anything

Eating disorders are a disease that can impact an individual’s health adversely by causing their emotions and capability to function in the significant areas of their life. There are two most common eating disorders and they are: anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. These disorders often begin to formulate during the teenage years of an individual’s life and can carry on through their adult years. Research states that “According to the DSM-5 (APA, 2013), eating disorders are characterized by a persistent disturbance in eating behavior” (Butcher et al., 2013, p.294). All of these disorders influences a person’s nutrition and can serious affect their internal organs.

Becoming familiar with these signs may allow untrained observers to identify the possible development of an eating disorder in its early stages. Early identification and referral to psychological services will increase the young girl's likelihood of a more favorable prognosis (Romeo, 1996).

If a provider has a suspicion of an eating disorder or weight problem in an adolescent patient, then a discussion must take place to prevent future complications that can arise from being underweight. Unfortunately, adolescents who develop an eating disorder are likely to continue the practices into young adulthood and possibly beyond (Brauser, 2011). Due to this outcome, it makes it ever more vital that providers bring the weight issue out into the open so reasons for the patient participating in the abnormal eating behaviors can be found, and then solutions developed to help the adolescent with their weight. Anorexia and bulimia are the primary eating disorders of concern, and they are complex conditions that are very difficult to treat and are associated with significant medical and mental health comorbidities (Burns, Dunn, Brady, Starr, Blosser, 2013). Not only will the provider need to talk with the adolescent, but the parent of the child should be involved, as well, so there can be continual support at home if an eating disorder is discovered.

All participants in the study were females ages 16 and older. Current and former eating disorder patients were recruited at the University of Missouri Pediatric and Adolescent Specialty Clinic. Individuals for the healthy control group were recruited from the same clinic as the current and former eating disorder patients, as well as from the university campus. As stated earlier, the control group

Lock, James. “Treatment of Adolescent Eating Disorders: Progress and Challenges.” Publish Medical Central (2011).NCBI.Web. 20 Apr. 2011. Lock believes that although eating disorders are common psychiatric disorders that they usually onset during adolescence. His research enforces the idea that family therapy is commonly clinically employed for Adolescents. Treatment aims to identify and help the family modify accommodations. Lock argues that eating disorders are either drawn out by “indulgent eating” or “vital eating” which determines obesity or anorexia. Some progress has been made in the last decade generating systematic evidence about effective treatments for adolescents are limited with very few statistics. Lock argues that the substantial

Swanson, S. A., ScM, Crow, S. J., M.D., & Grange, D. L., PhD. (2011). Prevalence and Correlates of Eating Disorders in Adolescents Results From the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement. Arch Gen Psychiatry,68(7), 714-723.

Eating disorders are sadly a common occurrence in today’s society. These disorders are broadly defined as an illness where an individual develops irregular eating habits such as eating too much or eating too little and is categorized as a mental illness. Also, some individuals may eat selectively where they avoid eating specific foods. Eating disorders can bring about severe health complications such as severe loss of weight or excess gaining of weight (Agras, 2010). An individual may suffer from lack of immunity and if the problem is not addressed the consequences can be detrimental or even fatal (Hudson, 2007). Eating disorders can develop during any developmental stage in life. The following paper provides a detailed discussion of children