Eating Disorders

EATING DISORDERS

Most teens and adults have had occasion to worry about their weight or go on a diet. For many decades North American society has stressed a body image that is either excessively lean (e.g. supermodels) or muscular (e.g. body builders) to the point of being unrealistic and practically unattainable. An eating disorder is an illness that is a result of an exaggerated reaction to these very real pressures.

Eating disorders may first occur in the teen years, but may also begin in young adulthood or later in life. They cause serious disturbances to your everyday diet and worry about body weight or shape. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. They affect many more girls than boys.

Anorexia nervosa involves keeping your body weight at least 15 percent below normal levels and an intense fear of becoming overweight. Many people with anorexia nervosa see themselves as overweight, even when they are clearly underweight. The focus on eating, food, and weight control rises to the level of obsession. Bulimia nervosa involves preoccupation with weight control and body shape, periods of out of control binge eating, and regular purging (e.g. vomiting and diuretics) to keep weight down. Binge-eating disorder involves frequently consuming unusually large amounts of food. You may be deeply embarrassed about these episodes and promise yourself to stop. As time passes, you feel helpless to resist the urges and continue binge eating.