Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders
EXAMPLE CASES
Jennifer is a 14-year-old female who is sent to the school nurse because she fainted during gym class. She has lost 20 pounds over the past 6 months. When the nurse asks about the weight loss, Jennifer states that she is "fat" and avoids looking at herself in the mirror. She also complains that she constantly feels bloated and has constipation. She is an excellent straight-A student. She currently weighs 85 pounds, and she stopped menstruating 6 months ago when she began losing weight. Emily is a 17-year-old female who goes to her doctor after vomiting blood. After further questioning, the girl admits she has been self-inducing vomiting to control her weight for the past two years. She initially started vomiting at a friends suggestion after eating an entire pizza. She now vomits three to five times per week after an uncontrollable eating binge (four slices of pizza, one pint of ice cream, half a box of cookies). She tearfully reports that she may have injured her throat with her fingernail last night, and says she feels very guilty about her actions. Emily also drinks alcohol and smokes cigarettes two to three times per week. She has not lost any weight despite her purging.
There are two main kinds of eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa has four diagnostic criteria: 1. Refusal to maintain weight within a normal range for height and age (less than 85 percent of expected body weight). 2. Intense fear of weight gain despite being underweight. 3. Severe body image disturbance in which body image is the predominant measure of self-worth with denial of the severity of the illness. 4. In girls who have gone through puberty and have their period, absence of the menstrual cycle for greater than three cycles.
There are two subtypes of anorexia nervosa: restricting and binge eating/purging. People with the restricting subtype restrict their food intake to lose weight. People with the binge/purge subtype engage in binge eating or purging behavior (eg vomiting, laxatives). Either subtype may also use compulsive exercise to reduce their weight. So, someone with anorexia may induce vomiting and still be
considered anorexic (NOT bulimic) if he/she is 15 percent below ideal body weight.
For females between 15 and 24 years old who suffer from anorexia nervosa, the mortality rate associated with the illness is 12 times higher than the death rate of ALL other causes of death. Anorexia nervosa has the highest early death rate of any mental illness, up to 20 percent. Most people with eating disorders never receive mental health care. Almost 50% of people with eating disorders meet the criteria for depression. NIMH, National Eating Disorders Association, ANAD
Several factors have been associated with the development of eating disorders: Dieting history Childhood preoccupation with a thin body and social pressure Sports in which leanness is emphasized or in which scoring is subjective (ballet, running, gymnastics) Some studies suggest a role for genetics Psychiatric problems are common in patients with eating disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance abuse Family stress Neurotransmitter imbalance
Predisposing factors that make a person more vulnerable to developing an eating disorder:
Female sex Family history of eating disorders Perfectionist personality (type A) Low self-esteem Feelings of inadequacy or lack of control in life Depression, anxiety, anger, or loneliness Troubled personal relationships Difficulty expressing emotions and feelings History of being teased or ridiculed based on size or weight History of physical or sexual abuse Cultural pressures that glorify thinness and place value on obtaining the perfect body
COMPLICATIONS OF EATING DISORDERS Many medical complications can occur from starvation or persistent purging: Osteopenia (bone thinning), fractures Slowed growth Heart problems (slow heart rate, low blood pressure, heart beat irregularities) Abdominal problems (nausea, bloating, constipation) Dry skin, brittle hair and nails Growth of fine hair all over body Abnormal salts in the body Dental erosion and enlarged salivary glands Inflammation and possible rupture of the esophagus from frequent vomiting Infertility with amenorrhea (no period) (anorexia) Liver and kidney problems Low body temperature Seizures Early death
teachers, you may be able to play a key role in the diagnosis of an eating disorder.
The following are possible warning signs of anorexia and bulimia: Unnatural concern about body weight (even if the person is not overweight) Dramatic weight loss (anorexia) Obsession with calories, fat grams and food Use of any medicines to keep from gaining weight (diet pills, laxatives, water pills) Consistent excuses to avoid mealtimes or situations involving food. Excessive, rigid exercise regimen--despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury, the need to burn off calories taken in Withdrawal from usual friends and activities Evidence of binge eating (disappearance of large amounts of food, empty wrappers and containers) Evidence of purging behaviors, including frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs and/or smells of vomiting, presence of wrappers or packages of laxatives or diuretics Unusual swelling of the cheeks or jaw area Calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles from self-induced vomiting Discoloration or staining of the teeth
If you suspect one of your students has an eating disorder, you should first speak privately with the student. Select a time to talk when you will not feel rushed. In a direct but nonjudgmental manner, tell the student what you have observed that concerns you. Allow the student to respond, and if he/she tells you about personal problems, listen carefully and empathetically. It is not your job to diagnose or provide therapy, but you may be able to help the student recognize his/her problems and realize that there are resources that can help. Focus on your desire for the student to feel healthy and perform well, not on weight or right and wrong. Remember that people can rarely overcome eating disorders by themselves. Stop the conversation if no progress is being made or the student is growing too upset.
If you continue to be concerned, contact the students family and the school nurse to discuss your concerns. It is very important that the student see a doctor as soon as possible for a medical evaluation.
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Eating disorders are very difficult to treat. Only 50 percent of patients with anorexia nervosa will have a good outcome. 30 percent of patients with bulimia nervosa continue to engage in binging and purging behaviors after 10 years of follow-up. Young women with anorexia nervosa are 10 times more likely to die than age-matched controls, either from complications of their eating disorder, or from suicide. Outcomes
are better the earlier the disease is identified, so if you suspect an eating disorder, seek help!!!!