Eating Disorders
Causes of eating disorders
- Bullying
- Wanting to be thin
- Self esteam
Anorexia
- Being anorexic means constantly hiding your habits and being secretive. Everyone around you can notice the change, but you can't.
- Symptoms- Dieting despite being thin, pretending to eat (or lying about it), dramatic weight loss, denial that you are too thin, harsh about appearance.
- Long term effects- It can kill people, mood swings/ depression, poor memory, dizziness/ fainting, yellowish skin, brittle nails, hair loss.
Bulimia
- Bulimia is a serious eating disorder followed by binge eating and frantic efforts to avoid gaining weight.
- Symptoms- Going to the bathroom after meals, using laxatives, the smell of vomit, excessive exercising, puffy cheeks (caused by vomiting).
- Long term effects- Bloating, acid reflex, ruptured stomach, chronic sore throat (hoarseness), weight gain, chronic constipation from laxative abuse, swelling of the hands and feet.
Binge Eating
- Binge eating is the most common eating disorder among adults in the US compared to anorexia and bulimia.
- Symptoms- Regularly eating a lot of food than most people, takes place on at least a weekly basis for three months, eating extremely fast, feeling bad about yourself after binge eating, eating beyond feeling full.
- Long term effects- Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, joint and muscle pain.