An eating disorder is a condition characterized by an obsessive, unhealthy fixation with food that affects a person's physical and psychological health and wellbeing. Although eating disorders can affect people of either gender and begin at any age, they are most common among women in their teens and early 20s.
In most cases, an eating disorder is the result of multiple contributing causes. One of the most commonly cited factors is the societal pressure placed on girls and women to be extremely thin. The achievement of this ideal plays a role for many eating disorder sufferers.
Other factors that tend to promote eating disorders include:
The three main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating. Each type has its own characteristics and warning signs.
People with anorexia nervosa are paranoid about gaining weight. They feel extreme pressure to lose weight, even when they're underweight.
The most noticeable signs of anorexia nervosa include:
Anorexia can lead to a number of health problems associated with malnutrition and insufficient body fat. Teen girls with anorexia frequently do not menstruate.
This eating disorder is characterized by cycles of binging and purging on food. In a binge-purge episode, the person consumes large quantities of food in a short period of time and then purges the food by inducing vomiting, taking laxatives or exercising excessively.
The following behaviors may be warning signs of bulimia in teens:
Parents may also find evidence of laxative use or frequent vomiting if their teen has bulimia.
A person with binge eating disorder repeatedly eats to excess, consuming quantities of food well beyond that required to satiate hunger. People with this disorder often feel shame for their behavior and try to hide their binges, but unlike people with bulimia, they do not purge after a binge.
The warning signs that a teen's overeating may be caused by a binge eating disorder include:
Though binge eating often causes weight gain, binge eaters are not necessarily overweight. Regardless, this disorder can have severe health consequences, both physical and psychological.
Eating disorders they take their toll in both physical and emotional ways. They can affect a person's nutrition and growth and the functioning of vital organs. If left untreated, they can be fatal. Consequently, identifying an eating disorder early and getting proper treatment are critical.
American Academy of Child
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