Eating Disorders

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Eating Disorders

• Maria Pierozzi
• Health Educator
• Barnstable Middle School at Hyannis

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Prevalence Of Eating Disorders( Harvard Eating
Disorders Center)

• 5-10 million U.S. Girls and women affected
• 1 million boys and men affected
• Three percent of adolescent and adult women and
  1 of men have anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa,
  or binge-eating disorder.

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Statistics on Disordered Eating (Harvard Eating
Disorders Center)

• 42 of first through third-grade girls want to be
  thinner.
• Girls as young as 6 or 7 report expectations of
  thinness.
• In a study of 457 fourth graders, 40 reported
  "very often" or "sometimes" dieting.
• Dieting, fear of fatness, and binge eating has
  been reported by 46 of 9-year-olds and 81 of
  10-year-olds.

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What Parents Can Look for With Anorexia

• Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat
  grams, and dieting.
• Refusal to eat certain foods, progressing to
  restrictions of whole categories of food (e.g. no
  carbohydrates, etc.).
• Comments about feeling fat or overweight
  despite weight loss.
• Anxiety about gaining weight or being fat.
• Denial of hunger.

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Health Consequences of Anorexia

• Reduced heart rate and decreased blood pressure,
  increasing risk of heart failure.
• Reduction of bone density (osteoporosis), which
  results in dry, brittle bones.
• Muscle loss and weakness.
• Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney
  failure.
• Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness.
• Dry hair and skin, hair loss is common.
• Growth of a downy layer of hair called lanugo all
  over the body, including the face, in an effort
  to keep the body warm.

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What parents can look for with Bulimia

• Disappearance of large amounts of food in short
  periods of time.
• Frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs
  and/or smells of vomiting, presence of wrappers
  or packages of laxatives or diuretics.
• Rigid exercise regimen--despite weather, fatigue,
  illness, or injury--the need to burn off
  calories taken in.
• Unusual swelling of the cheeks or jaw area.
• Discoloration or staining of the teeth.
• Behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight
  loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming
  primary concerns.

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Health Consequences of Bulimia

• Electrolyte imbalance can lead to irregular
  heartbeats and possibly heart failure and death.
• Inflammation of the esophagus from frequent
  vomiting.
• Tooth decay and staining from contact with
  stomach acids.
• Chronic irregular bowel movements and
  constipation as a result of laxative abuse.

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Health Consequences of Binge Eating

• High blood pressure.
• High cholesterol levels.
• Heart disease as a result of elevated
  triglyceride levels.
• Type II diabetes mellitus.
• Gallbladder disease.

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Causes of Eating Disorders

• Psychological factors
• Self esteem
• Perceived lack of control in life
• Depression, anxiety, anger or loneliness
• Interpersonal factors
• Difficulty with relationships
• Trouble expressing feelings and emotions
• History of being teased because of size
• History of physical or sexual abuse

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Causes of Eating Disorders

• Societal factors
• Cultural pressures that glorify thinness
• Narrow definitions of the beauty that include men
  and women of specific size
• Culture that tends to value appearance more than
  inner qualities and strengths
• Biological factors
• Researchers working on whether there is a
  biochemical cause

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Steps to Take If You Suspect Your Child Has an
Eating Disorder

• Set a time to talk.
• Communicate your concerns.
• Ask your child to explore your concerns with a
  counselor, doctor, nutritionist, or health
  professional who is knowledgeable about eating
  issues.
• Avoid conflicts or a battle of the wills with
  your child.
• Avoid placing shame, blame, or guilt on your
  child regarding their actions or attitudes. Use
  I statements.
• Avoid giving simple solutions.
• Express your continued support.

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Resources

• Massachusetts Eating Disorder Association at
  [phone].
• Harvard Eating Disorders Center
• Harvard Eating Disorders Center (HEDC)- a leading
  academic research center for eating disorders
• National Eating Disorders Association
• Parents