Anorexia Nervosa
... is usually seen as non-predominant in society. This isn’t the case, as there are different extremities of the illness. Some people may present with all the psychological symptoms of the illness but not lose excessive weight, while others will have an extreme case of the illness and have severe weight loss and psychological disturbance. Anorexia is the third most prevalent disease in the female 15-19 year old age group below Obesity and Asthma, and is much more fatal. It’s estimated that approx 0.5% of this age group (5000 at any time) has this illness and is 10 times more prevalent than insulin dependent diabetes. At least 400 new diagnosis are made every year in NSW alone. Groups at risk Anorexia can affect anyone, from any culture, at any age, and both sexes, although it’s predominant in teenage females. A typical profile of and Anorexic is; female, 17-18 years of age, desire to please, desire to be “perfect”, but also be an individual and stand out in the world. The reason for this is that females around this age group are experiencing incredible psychological pressure from many sources. It’s well known that females are usually the “moody” ones, emotions are strong and often not fully expressed. Schoolwork may swamp them and they may start to feel anxious or depressed. Also, the media constantly publicises an unrealistic body image that girls are supposed to aspire to so they have the “perfect life” consisting of a boyfriend and popularity in their social group. These factors are major contributors to why girls, on average, acquire eating disorders. Also, women who live in societies where equal rights have been promoted and more or less achieved are more at risk than women in less developed countries, eg- Afghanistan. Risk Factors Anorexia is deliberate starvation. In effect, the same physical results will occur from Anorexia as starvation. These include muscle wastage, which leads to weakness, low energy and damage to vital organs such as the heart and kidneys. Girls who have Anorexia often don’t experience menstruation as a result of their weight loss, which may lead to infertility later in life. There are also factors such as dehydration and malnutrition, which may lead to other conditions such as vision problems caused by lack of vitamin A and Osteoporosis contributed to by lack of calcium. It also leads to brain atrop...