Eating Disorders: Raising Awareness

The two most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, more commonly referred to just as anorexia and bulimia. Though anorexia and bulimia are somewhat similar, people with anorexia usually are underweight and very thin, while people with bulimia may be a normal weight, or even can be overweight. Most often people with either of these disorders consider themselves fat though their weight is normal. Serious physical health problems, such as heart conditions and/or kidney failure can develop, and in severe cases, those suffering from severe malnutrition may even die.

People with anorexia have a distorted view of their body size and shape, as well as an extreme fear of weight gain. They work to maintain a very low body weight by restricting their food intake with dieting, and/or by exercising for hours on end. They are obsessed with the amount of food they eat. People with bulimia usually eat a significant amount of food and only stop eating when too full or have nothing more to eat. They then try to get rid of the consumed calories by vomiting, exercising for hours, and/or using laxatives to prevent gain weight. They have health problems due to constant vomiting that can damage the stomach and kidneys, and cause tooth decay (from stomach acid). They lose vital minerals such as potassium, which can lead to heart problems and even death.

People with eating disorders need help in learning how to deal with the dangerous eating patterns and establishing new thinking patterns for food. Friends and family members can help by creating a healthy lifestyle, helping them view their body shape as normal, and reminding them that eating disorders can be dangerous.

Some tips to foster a more positive dialogue about body image include:

• Help them to develop healthy eating habits; avoid strict rules about food and eating, focus on nutrition rather than dieting
• Avoid referring to food as low-fat or fattening, and/or good or bad 
• Promote interests with little or no emphasis on appearance
• Find ways to be positive about body image and appearance
• Discuss how genes play a role in body shapes and weight
• Challenge negative self-talk on diet, weight, self-worth
• Help them to understand that what they see in the media is not reality

Speak with a health professional immediately if you or someone you love, display signs of any eating disorders.

February 26^th – March 3^rd is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
Visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.org to learn more.