Essay On Eating Disorders: Argument Of Facts

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

Eating disorders affect millions of men and women every day. Bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are three main types of eating disorders that can have detrimental consequences on the human body. These eating disorders not only deteriorate one’s body, but also eradicate the mind. “Inherent to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are a plethora of medical complications which correlate with the severity of weight loss or the frequency and mode of purging” (Mehler, 2015).

According to The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) website, eating disorders are actually serious and often fatal illnesses causing serve disturbances to a person’s eating behaviors. People with eating disorders often have obsessions with food, their body weight, and their shape. There is, however, a difference between an eating disorder and a diet. It is important to know the difference. Eating disorders are a daily struggle for 10 million females and 1 million males in the United States (Eating Disorder Hope). An eating disorder is a compulsion to avoid eating in order to lose weight while a diet is cutting down eating or healthier eating in order to lose weight. The three types of an eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. All three disorders are important and they all deserve immediate treatment. No matter what eating disorder someone has, it can resort in organ damage and sometimes even death.

There are multiple types of eating disorders besides Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, such as binge eating disorder, purging disorder, and night eating syndrome. Atypical Anorexia nervosa as is it most commonly known is having a weight that is extremely below the recommended weight. As a result, many of the people who are classified under this eating disorder starve themselves, so that their body can become thin. In some situations, they starve themselves so much that it can at times become fatal. According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, approximately 1 % of the adolescent girls will develop this eating disorder and about 20 % of the people struggling with this eating disorder will die prematurely from complications such as, heart problems or suicide (Miller, 2013, para 2). Bulimia Nervosa occurs when the person has an insanity for overeating too much in short periods and this is then followed by binge eating or purging. The main cause for Bulimia is when the patient has a distorted image of themselves and they see something different from what they really look like. Bulimia Nervosa can be categorized as overeating, fasting, or purging. According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, they say that 3 % of young women will develop Bulimia nervosa. The source also says that about 50 % of the people who had Anorexia will most likly develop Bulimia or Bulimic patterns later on in their life (Miller,

In US today, over 30 million men, women, and children suffer from an eating disorder. The most common eating disorders are; Anorexia, Binge eating, and Bulimia. Why do people resort to something so life threatening? Many people are turning towards eating disorders because they don’t accept who they are. Eating disorders are a mental illness that can have dangerous effects on the human body, and several people are involved in this bad habit.

Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa is a serious issue in the world today. I feel that the issue of eating disorders does not gain enough attention from society especially because of its relevance to young females. These unhealthy eating habits are a social injustice issue because the various types of media that disperse an unrealistic image of female beauty. Society takes these images as a standard of how a woman should look. Women will go to the extreme to meet those qualifications to fit society’s female image.

In US today, over 30 million men, women, and children suffer from an eating disorder. Research shows that 42% of first- to third-grade girls want to be thinner and 81% of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat. In fact, most kids with eating disorders began their disordered eating between the ages of 11 and 13. (Eating Dis.3) The most common eating disorders are; Anorexia, Binge eating, and Bulimia. Why do people resort to something so life threatening? Many people are turning towards eating disorders because they don’t accept who they are. Eating disorders are a mental illness that can have dangerous effects on the human body and several people are involved in this bad habit.

Eating disorders are complex disorders, which affect physical and mental health, productivity, and relationships. In the United States, 20 million females and 10 million males are suffering from eating disorders sometimes in their life such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa; binge eating disorders (Wade et al., 2011). Eating disorders are more common in teenager and college girls as they are more concerned about their body weight. Literature has shown that these concerns go through the life but more common in young age group (Smolak, 2011).

Eating disorders can be defined as a definite disturbance of eating habits or weight-control behavior. Eating disorders are one of the significant cause of physical and psychosocial morbidity in both men and women, especially in teen age girls or young women, while much less for men. Eating disorders can be put into three diagnostic classes: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and atypical eating disorders. These three types of eating disorders are closely related to each other, and patients can often move between them. There is also binge eating disorder, which is of a different nature to the other three types and will be discussed separately. The causes of eating disorder is rather complicated and very poorly understood. They involve social, psychological, and biological aspects and are difficult to treat. Researches on treatments for eating disorders is mainly focused on bulimia and a form of cognitive behaviour therapy is found to be the most effective treatment.

I feel like there is a lot of misconception when it comes to eating disorders. Although eating disorders affect over 30 million people in the United States and has the highest mortality rate; this topic is often swept under the rug. Many of us might be able to distinguish the three main eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder) but most us are oblivious to the daily challenges suffers endure. Eating disorders do not discriminate against any race, gender, ethnicity, or social classes. Furthermore, eating disorders are rarely black and white.

Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. For women ages 15-24 the mortality rate for anorexia is twelve times higher than any other cause of death (“11 Facts”). An eating disorder is a psychological disorder that involves abnormal or disturbed eating behaviors, such as anorexia nervosa. “They are so common in the U.S. that 1 or 2 out of every 100 children struggle with an eating disorder” (Kidshealth).

There are many mental illnesses and eating disorders fit the category and are considered to be the highest risk of death. Eating disorders are commonly viewed to only affect women, but that is incorrect because men can have them as well. There are three groups of eating disorders such as anorexia (nervosa), bulimia, and eating disorder not otherwise specified because it doesn’t fit the specific criteria for neither anorexia nor bulimia. While eating disorders have “...a 10 percent...” (Krans) mortality rate, they have many causes, effects, and awareness’s and preventions.

The issue of eating disorders has become a phenomenon affecting people in many cultures all over the world, especially young women. Today eating disorders are so common that research by The American Psychology Association suggests 1 or 2 out of every 100 students will struggle with an eating disorder and in the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life, including anorexia nervosa. This same research suggests that 95% of those who have eating disorders are young women between the ages of 12 and 25 (Thompson & Smolak, 2001). Each year thousands of young women develop eating disorders or problems with weight, eating, and body image; the prevalence of eating disorders is only increasing as time goes by. Research suggests there has been a rise in cases of anorexia in young women ages 15-19 in each decade since 1930 (Hoek& van Hoeken, 2003). While many people believe this issue only affects a certain part of the population, eating disorders don’t discriminate among race, ethnicity, or culture. The prevalence of eating disorders has been found to be similar among different races such as Hispanic, Asians, African-Americans, and Asians ((Hudson et al., 2007). Therefore, it’s very important to address the potential causes and factors that can contribute to the development of eating disorders.

In the recent years eating disorders have become to an increasing public concern. The two most common types of eating disorders are called Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa. Body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem and unhappiness combined with the fear to gain weight can be determinants. Anorexia nervosa has been defined as a medical condition since the late 19th century and is characterized by an extreme weight loss. Bulimia nervosa has been accepted as medical condition since 1987. It is associated with ‘binge-eating’ in which people are not able to control their food consumption. First they tend to eat an excessive amount of food, afterwards they feel guilty and sufferers drift into excessive dieting, exercising and self-induced purging.

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.