Diving into Eating Disorders

To explore eating disorders, we were divided into groups of three where each of us researched a different type. We then shared our findings through discussions. The different eating disorders that we focused on are as follows:

Anorexia Nervosa:
Anorexia Nervosa is a very serious illness based on the obsession with a low body weight. Those affected appear very thin, however a doctor may not recognize the illness because the body's exterior is not affected so much as the interior. Almost every organ is negatively affected due to anorexia, and that is because the person is not receiving proper nutrition. Those who are anorexic are generally very worried about being "fat" and resort to dramatically decreasing their eating. This can result in an overall weakness all throughout the body, with brittle bones, dehydration, muscle loss, low blood pressure, etc. The difference between anorexia and dieting is that dieting involves changing the foods one consumes in order to grow healthier, whereas anorexia involves self-starvation and is completely unhealthy. Anorexia most often occurs in adolescent girls, and 90-95% of those affected are girls/women.

Bulimia Nervosa:
Bulimia is a very serious and potentially life threatening disorder, which involves self-induced vomiting after binge eating. Affects 1-2% of young adult woman, and 80% of people with Bulimia are women. One major sign is when people frequently go to the restroom right after eating, and obviously if they are always making themselves vomit. This can cause inflammation of the esophagus, increased chances of heart-attacks, malnourished body, etc.

Binge Eating Disorder:
A disorder characterized by often eating large quantities of food, generally in order to comfort oneself. Those affected cannot control their intake, and generally feel very ashamed during/after the act. There are serious potential health concerns, as eating too much is just as unhealthy as not eating at all. Often those suffering from the disorder binge in secret, because of the shame they are experiencing. One can recognize another is experiencing the disorder if large quantities of food suddenly disappear, or if someone is setting aside time for binge eating. Binge eating can cause obesity, however someone of a small body mass can still be suffering from this disorder.