MODULE 20: EATING DISORDERS

When do they begin?

Eating disorders begin or present mainly at puberty and adolescence; most likely, adults began to
notice the symptoms at the same stage of adolescence. The ages of begin of the disorder range
from 12 to 25 years and the frequency increases between 12 and 17. These situations can affect
both men and women and there are some risk factors, such as previous obesity, lack of self-
esteem, anxiety or sensitivity.

When is the help of a professional necessary?

When the food problem makes family meals stressful, it is important to seek professional help.
The family doctor will advise you on which specialist can help in this situation. Also, if the eating
disorder is causing physical harm, it is critical to get medical help soon. If the young person
receives quick help from a specialist, a hospital admission is unlikely; on the contrary, if left
untreated, there will be a risk of infertility, fragile bones (osteoporosis), loss of growth and even
death.

What is the cause of eating disorders?

Eating disorders are caused by several different reasons:

The worry or stress can lead to eating to forget and cause, in turn, worries about getting fat.
Anorexia and bulimia can develop as a complication of an extreme diet, perhaps precipitated by a
diagnosis such as a family breakdown, death, separation, harassment at school or sexual abuse.
More everyday events such as the loss of a friend, teasing classmates or school exams can also be
triggers on a vulnerable person.

Do you know anorexia nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that usually affects young women. Anorexic people
have an intense fear of getting fat and losing their body shape control.

What are the symptoms of anorexia nervosa?

The first and the most visible is the continuous and prolonged weight reduction, which can lead to
malnutrition and thinness; this is reflected in dry skin, brittle nails, weakening or hair loss,
intolerance to cold, other symptoms such as voluntary restriction of food, decreased fluid intake,
strange eating behavior, social isolation, compulsive physical exercise, decreased of the hours of
sleep, compulsive weighing, consumption of laxative or diuretic drugs.

There are other mental and emotional symptoms such as distortion of the body image, terror to
gain weight, total or partial denial of the disease, denial of feelings of hunger, thirst or sleep, fear
of losing control, difficulty in concentration, sexual disinterest, disinterest in activities or
recreational, difficulty in recognizing their emotions, constant changes of emotions, depressive
and / or obsessive symptoms as well as irritability.

Health consequences of anorexia nervosa

In the cycle of self-starvation of anorexia nervosa, the body denies the essential nutrients it needs
for proper functioning. Therefore, the body is forced to decrease all its processes to conserve
energy, resulting very serious medical consequences, such as the following: Abnormal decrease in
heart rate and blood pressure, indicating that the heart muscle is weakened. The risk of heart
failure increases as the pressure and heart rate go down. Reduction in bone density (osteoporosis)
resulting in weak and fragile bones, loss of muscle and muscle weakness, severe dehydration that
can result in kidney failure, feeling faint, fatigue and general weakness, hair and dry skin.

What is bulimia nervosa?

Bulimia nervosa, also called simply bulimia, is an eating disorder

Bulimia nervosa or simply called bulimia is an eating disorder that is characterized by

episodes of overeating called “binge eating” and then through behaviors of compensatory types in
order to try to control weight. Some of these behaviors are: induction of vomiting, fasting,
excessive consumption of laxative or diuretic drugs or compulsive physical exercise.

What are the symptoms of bulimia nervosa?

Some behavioral symptoms are the induction of vomiting, which in most cases, is
performed in a hidden way and therefore can be difficult to observe. The storage of food,
avoidance of social meals, decrease in school and work performance, absence from class or work,
frequent departures from home, avoidance of family, unnecessary lies, theft, consumption of
alcohol and sometimes drugs, as well as decreased sleep hours are other observable symptoms.
Likewise, other symptoms of the emotional type may be fear of gaining weight or compulsive
desire to lose it, distortion of body image, concealment of illness, low self-esteem,
discouragement, self-centeredness, difficulty in concentration, irritability and sudden mood
swings.
 Health consequences of bulimia nervosa:

The recurrent cycles of binge eating and compensatory behaviors of bulimia can affect the
entire digestive system and lead to an imbalance in the body that can affect the functions of the
heart and other major organs. Some of the medical consequences of bulimia include: heart failure,
dehydration and loss of potassium, sodium and chlorine by the body as a result of purges.

Here are some recommendations to help reinforcing correct eating habits or help eliminating
bad habits

 The assessment of the food fact as an essential component of the quality of life.
 A balanced diet of all meals.
 Education about nutrition / food can reinforce good habits due to the numerous
information that incorporates the labeling of products.
 Eliminating the myths of "the natural" as a guarantee of food security.
 The opposition to accept an aesthetic that goes against good health, eliminating as
canons of beauty and modernity as the extreme and pathological thinness.

It is important that if you or any of your colleagues present some of the symptoms
mentioned above, be notified to their parents, trusted adult, and teacher; so that
this condition can be treated with a professional as soon as possible and the
situation doesn’t get worse.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

Ogden (2003). Psicología de la alimentación, Comportamientos saludables y trastornos

alimentarios. Publishing House: Ediciones Morata, S.L. Fairburn (2013). La superación de los
atracones de comida. 2nd edition, Publishing House: Paidos, Spain. Latham (2002). Nutrición
humana en el Mundo del desarrollo. Publishing House: FAO, Rome, Italy. La alteración de la
imagen corporal en los trastornos de alimentación. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Psicothema
Vol. 13 n°1, pp. 7-16. http://www.redalyc.org/html/727/72713102/