Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa & Binge Eating
This information provided as reference material only. This site should not be relied upon as a comprehensive guide for treating eating disorders.
Eating Disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. They are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for females and males.
Anorexia and bulimia are the most well-publicized eating disorders, but they are not the only ones. Here, a brief primer on these complex illnesses.
Anorexia nervosa. Present in about 1 percent of the general population, anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. Sufferers are very underweight, sometimes to the point of emaciation. Terrified of being fat, they severely restrict calories. “Ironically, their fear only tends to heighten as the weight drops off,” says Trisha Gura, PhD, author of Lying in Weight: The Hidden Epidemic of Eating Disorders in Adult Women.
What to look for: A child who skips meals, eats tiny portions or eats in strange ways (chewing food for half an hour, spitting food out before swallowing). Children with anorexia may avoid food-related events (such as a family barbecue or a pizza party with friends) or make excuses in order to avoid eating (“I’m not hungry;” “I have a stomachache.”)
Bulimia nervosa. Most bulimics are of normal weight and display few outward signs of their problem, making it difficult for parents to catch on. Affecting about 4 percent of the population, bulimia consists of cycles of binge eating (usually sweets and junk food) followed by unhealthy behavior that rids the body of the calories. About 80 percent of bulimics vomit to purge, but other methods include use of laxatives, diuretics, fasting, compulsive exercise, enemas or other medications. Kids can lose major nutrients, especially potassium, which helps to regulate the heart. In chronic cases, the body has so little potassium that physical functioning suffers and hospitalization is often needed.
What to look for: Empty food packages around the house, bathroom smells or running water (the sound covers the vomiting), scratched or black-and-blue knuckles (from scraping their fingers against their teeth), use of the bathroom at unusual times or frequent bathroom trips, especially right after meals. Note the excessive use of mouthwash and breath mints.
Binge-eating disorder (BED). BED consists of bingeing—like bulimia—but there’s no purging. Those with BED tend toward obesity and are challenged by low self-esteem. They may also be frequent dieters who binge with the sense that they can’t stop themselves. Research shows that between 15 and 50 percent of people enrolled in dieting programs suffer from BED. The consequences mirror those of obesity: high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and gallbladder disease.
What to look for: A child who eats a lot of food quickly, exhibits a pattern of emotional eating or feels ashamed or disgusted by the amount that he or she eats. Note any irregular eating patterns, especially skipping meals and eating at unusual times (such as late at night).
(Excerpt taken from “Family Focus – Is Your Daughter Anorexic?” by Danielle Schlass Saliman in the October 2007 issue of Working Mother Magazine)
Other Resources:
Web MD Entry on Eating Disorders | Anorexia | Bulimia | Binge Eating Disorder
