Anorexia Nervosa and Obesity: What is more dangerous?
Since ever, food has been an intrinsic part of mankind. Eating food has evolved from its main purpose of satisfying a physiological process to nowadays lifestyles. As time has gone on, the pace of life has influenced the conservative role model of family, changing with it, how food is elaborated today. Consequently, the pace of life has displaced well-elaborated food for a cheaper, less time-consuming junk food. As a result of food availability and new socio-cultural patterns in society, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and obesity have been risen, being a matter of important concern in the quality of life.
Anorexia nervosa is a psychological and life-threatening eating disorder characterized by low weight, fear of gaining weight
…show more content…
Among the most common anorexia symptoms, includes a low body mass index, obsession with counting calories and monitoring fat contents on food and evidence or habits of self-harming. In contrast, obesity is easier diagnosed, simply when the body mass index is over 30 being 25 a perfect weight-height ratio. Regarding effects on health, we can mention anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder, the mortality rate is between 11 to 12 times greater than the average population and the suicide risk is 56 times higher. Less serious implications are growth retardation, alterations in the female reproductive system, psychological stress, and neurological disorder also may occur as seizures and tremors. On the contrary, excessive body weight is associated particularly with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, osteoarthritis, and asthma reducing life expectancy. Certainly, both diseases have several serious complications, yet the high mortality rate and suicide risk made anorexia nervosa a life-threatening
With Anorexia Nervosa, there is a strong fear of weight gain and a preoccupation with body image. Those diagnosed may show a resistance in maintaining body weight or denial of their illness. Additionally, anorexics may deny their hunger, have eating rituals such as excessive chewing and arranging food on a plate, and seek privacy when they are eating. For women, they go through immediate body changes from abnormal to no menstruation periods and develop lanugo all over their bodies. Characteristics of an anorexic individual also consist of extreme exercise patterns, loosely worn clothing, and maintain very private lives. Socially, to avoid criticism or concern from others, they may distant themselves from friends and activities they once enjoyed. Instead, their primary concerns revolve around weight loss, calorie intake, and dieting. In regards to health, many will have an abnormal slow heart rate and low blood pressure, some can develop osteoporosis, severe dehydration which can result in kidney failure, and overall feel weak (Robbins, 27-29). It has been reported that Anorexia Nervosa has one of the highest death rates in any mental health condition in America (www.NationalEatingDisorders.org).
In today’s time, food has various meanings and degrees of importance. Some people use food as an act of nurture, some use food for a means of happiness. Preoccupation with food may lead to eating disorders. Eating disorders often causes one to display symptoms of depression, including mood swings, hopelessness, loneliness and anxiety.
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.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which people see themselves as overweight even if they are underweight. Anorexia nervosa is a self-imposed starvation. People with anorexia nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa, a mental illness in which a person has an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of their weight and body shape. People with this illness believe themselves to be fat even when their weight is so low
Anorexia nervosa is a mental illness that is characterized by an unrealistic fear of weight gain, self-starvation, and conspicuous distortion of body image. The individual with the disorder becomes obsessed with becoming increasingly thinner and will limits food intake to the point where their health is compromised (Butcher, Hooley, J. M., & Mineka, 2013).
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that consists of self-regulated food restriction in which the person strives for thinness and also involves distortion of the way the person sees his or her own body. An anorexic person weighs less than 85% of their ideal body weight. The prevalence of eating disorders is between .5-1% of women aged 15-40 and about 1/20 of this number occurs in men. Anorexia affects all aspects of an affected person's life including emotional health, physical health, and relationships with others (Shekter-Wolfson et al 5-6). A study completed in 1996 showed that anorexics also tend to possess traits that are obsessive in nature and carry heavy emotional
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder driven mainly by the fear of gaining weight. People with Anorexia severely limit the amount of food they eat and can become extremely skinny.
Anorexia nervosa is a deadly eating disorder which makes people think that they are fat, even when they are really skinny. Anorexia is not only a physical disorder, but also a physiological disorder. The people who have it often feel fat, even though others say they aren’t, they are also scared of gaining weight. In order to prevent others from getting suspicious, they lie about the amount they eat.Normally, people who are 15% lighter than the expected body weight have Anorexia. A misconception that they develop is that they think that the thinner they are, the more they worth (self-worth). Anorexia Nervosa was first named and recognized in society in 1873. The name was given by Sir William Withey Gull.
Anorexia nervosa is a deadly disease in which any one, at any age or any time in their life can develop. Mayo clinic says “it is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of body weight.” This compulsive disorder brings symptoms that are developed and can be minor to even death
Before treatment can begin, anorexic clients must undergo assessments that ensure they are physically capable of outpatient treatment. If these individuals are not ready for outpatient treatment, they must undergo hospitalization to stabilize their condition. For those clients who pass medical examinations, and are good candidates for outpatient care, it remains necessary for a physician and dietitian to be involved with treatment (Bowers, 2002). This ensures the client is cared for in a holistic manner by addressing “nutritional rehabilitation, possibly medical stabilization, and psychological interventions” (Bowers, 2002, p. 249). This multidimensional approach ensures the client’s physical wellbeing is addressed, in
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by abnormally low body weight. Anorexia is an intense fear of gaining weight with a distorted perception of body weight. People with Anorexia Nervosa value themselves on controlling their weight and shape. Mainly using extreme efforts to attend this disorder; it significantly interferes with their daily lives. Anorexia Nervosa can be treated, and the complications from day to day life will subside.
Anorexia Nervosa: often simply called anorexia - is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of body weight.
This paper was designed to discuss several basic topics regarding anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is and eating disorder with an incredibly high mortality rate characterized by low body weight and an obsessive fear of becoming overweight that occurs primarily in females after puberty, yet before the age of 40 years. Unfortunately, Not much is known about the causes of anorexia nervosa, but possible correlations are blood relation to a person suffering from anorexia nervosa, those who have recently experienced a stressful event, a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder in childhood, or participation in a culture or profession that values thinness.
When I think of anorexia, a few things come to mind. I think of really bad episodes of Beverly Hills 90210 and Baywatch in which females, ususally teenagers, starve themselves and take diet pills. The eating problem is always resolved within the timespan of one 30 minute episode. From the research I've done thus far on anorexia, I now know that this is a very unrealistic representation of what is actually a very serious disease.