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Eating disorders are complex conditions that arise from a combination of long-standing behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors. ... We do know, however, about some of the general issues that can contribute to the development of eating disorders. While eating disorders may begin with preoccupations with food and weight, they are most often about much more than food. People with eating disorders often use food and the control of food in an attempt to compensate for feelings and emotions that may otherwise seem over-whelming. ...
Psychological Factors that can Contribute to Eating Disorders:
· Low self-esteem
· Feelings of inadequacy or lack of control in life
· Depression, anxiety, anger, or loneliness
Interpersonal Factors that can Contribute to Eating Disorders:
· Troubled family and personal relationships
· Difficulty expressing emotions and feelings
· History of being teased or ridiculed based on size or weight
· History of physical or sexual abuse
Social Factors that can Contribute to Eating Disorders:
· Cultural pressures that glorify "thinness" and place value on obtaining the "perfect body"
· Narrow definitions of beauty that include only women and men of specific body weights and shapes
· Cultural norms that value people on the basis of physical appearance and not inner qualities and strengths
Other Factors that can Contribute to Eating Disorders:
· Scientists are still researching possible biochemical or biological causes of eating disorders. In some individuals with eating disorders, certain chemicals in the brain that control hunger, appetite, and digestion have been found to be imbalanced. ... shtml
Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and compulsive overeating resulting in Obesity are the three classic eating disorders. ... They are disorders mainly of the Western developed countries, and of the Western-like elite in developing countries. So, clearly, these disorders are most often caused by almost “pure” emotional and social factors. In time, the abnormal eating behavior of these disorders may produce neurophysiological and neuroanatomical changes which must then be considered in the treatment of any given individual. But if one does not uncover and help the patient to find solutions to the social and emotional factors which triggered the disorders, the patient will not overcome their illness.
Looking back over more than ten years of experience in helping patients to overcome these disorders, I find myself asking the question, why is it that some individuals in my practice have improved more rapidly than others and suffered fewer or no relapses? ... Third, I see that those patients who recovered most rapidly were those who were most accepting of the tools I gave them to understand and maintain what is healthy eating behavior even in the face of new stresses. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I recognize that all of the patients with eating disorders seen in my practice over more than ten years have needed to deal with issues regarding their relationships with the most significant people in their lives. ... Indeed, there is a common underlying thread to these disorders, and it is the thread of relationships, of connections with oneself and with significant others in ones life. ... So, in writing down these thoughts I can begin a new effort to educate the general public about the social, emotional and nutritional factors which trigger and maintain disordered eating. ... In them, I frequently come across phrases such as, “better to look like an athlete than a slob”, “ overcoming laziness”, and “fat women need to simply stop eating”. ... As a personal trainer, much of your training has been centered around eating to lose weight and improving body composition. ... cfm
What causes eating disorders? ... Some personality types (obsessive-compulsive and sensitive-avoidant, for example) are more vulnerable to eating disorders than others. ... These people seem to have more than their share of eating disorders. ... (Eating Disorders Review. Nov/Dec 2002)Studies reported in the New England Journal of Medicine (3/03) indicate that heredity is an important factor in the development of obesity and binge eating. ... In fact some researchers believe that eating disordered folks may be using food to self-medicate painful feelings and distressing moods.· Psychological factors People with eating disorders tend to be perfectionistic. ... Some people with eating disorders use the behaviors to avoid sexuality. ... People with eating disorders often lack a sense of identity. ... "People with eating disorders often are legitimately angry, but because they seek approval and fear criticism, they do not know how to express their anger in healthy ways. ... · Family factors Some people with eating disorders say they feel smothered in overprotective families. ... Parents who overvalue physical appearance can unwittingly contribute to an eating disorder. ... In addition, research suggests that daughters of mothers with histories of eating disorders may be at higher risk of eating disorders themselves than are children of mothers with few food and weight issues.According to a report published in the April 1999 issue of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, mothers who have anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder handle food issues and weight concerns differently than mothers who have never had eating disorders. ... Still to be determined is whether or not daughters of mothers with eating disorders will themselves become eating disordered when they reach adolescence.· Social factors Sometimes appearance-obsessed friends or romantic partners create pressure that encourages eating disorders. ... People vulnerable to eating disorders also, in most cases, are experiencing relationship problems, loneliness in particular. ... Many people believe this media stereotyping helps explain why about ninety percent of people with eating disorders are women and only ten percent are men.In recent years it has become politically correct for the media to make some effort to combat eating disorders. ... Then, after 38 months of Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, and similar western shows, Fijian teenage girls showed serious signs of eating disorders. ... · Triggers If people are vulnerable to eating disorders, sometimes all it takes to put the ball in motion is a trigger event that they do not know how to handle. ... There is some evidence to suggest that girls who achieve sexual maturity ahead of peers, with the associated development of breasts, hips, and other physical signs of womanhood, are at increased risk of becoming eating disordered. ... Sometimes people such as diabetics who must pay meticulous attention to what they eat become vulnerable to eating disorders. ... Perhaps the most common trigger of disordered eating is dieting. ... It is axiomatic in eating disorders treatment programs that the best way to avoid a binge is to never, never allow oneself to become ravenously hungry. It is far wiser to be aware of internal signals and respond to hunger cues early on by eating appropriate amounts of nourishing, healthy food. ... "And, the types of comfort foods they are eating include a lot of nutritious choices, such as soup, pasta, mashed potatoes and meatloaf. ... "And, in times of strong economic growth, consumers eat more healthful comfort foods as a respite from their eating behaviors in more stressful, hectic times."
According to the Healthy Choice Soup survey, 86 percent of Americans describe their mood when eating comfort foods as almost always/sometimes happy, followed by relaxed (80 percent), in the mood to reward themselves or celebrate (74%) and feeling healthy (68%). ... Other exclusion criteria were a medical history or
presence of renal, hepatic, or endocrine disorders that could affect the
results of the study, previous bariatric surgery, use of approved or
experimental weight reduction medications or treatments, presence of
malabsorption syndrome, presence of bulimia or laxative abuse, or presence of
disorders that could affect compliance with the requirements of the study. ... In addition,
treatment approaches that improve self-esteem, body image, and self-efficacy
in the safe management of weight may help prevent eating disorders, which are
easier to prevent than to treat. ... Eating disorders as
they pertain to adolescents with diabetes and caloric values of alternative
foods were also discussed. ... Parents may prompt, model for, and reinforce obese children
for eating and for lack of exercise. ...
In families having a child with IDDM, it is important that parents be educated
on their role in feeding, in role modeling, in "gate keeping," in good
parenting skills, and in dealing with their own disordered eating patterns and
body image concerns.
Approximate Word count = 13215
Approximate Pages = 52.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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