line

Other Eating Disorders

There is a wide variety of other disordered eating patterns, and not all people with eating disorders have a clear cut diagnosis or exhibit the full range of symptoms for a particular eating disorder.
For example, anorexia and bulimia may co-exist in the one person at the one time, or they may develop from one to the other over time. In addition, some people may have a very restricted food intake without fulfilling all of the criteria for Anorexia.
These conditions are no less serious than other eating disorders. Intervention and treatment are still required.

Risk Factors of eating disorders

Eating Disorders are most commonly experienced by adolescent females and young women, but they also occur (at much lower rates) in males and people of all ages and across all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
People with Eating Disorders generally tend to exhibit one or more of the following:

  1. Low self esteem.
  2. A need to seek the approval of others.
  3. Difficulties in expressing needs and feelings, including anger and anxiety.
  4. Perfectionism
  5. Difficulties being assertive with others.
  6. A desire to diet.

There is no single cause for any Eating Disorder. Indeed, the causes for Eating Disorders are often highly complex, and include a range of diverse factors, including: social / cultural factors, psychological factors, biological factors, family factors, and, various other external or precipitating factors which all play a part, to varying degrees, in causing the Eating Disorder in different people. Each of these are discussed below.

Social / Cultural Factors include:

idealization of thinness,focus on appearance,weight loss, fashion, fitness cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries etc, media representations of happy, thin, successful people, socialization of women and men.
And these can create enormous pressures on people, especially young people, who feel a desperate need to conform to the portrayed stereotype for thin, successful people.

Family Factors

A range of Family Factors can have an enormous influence on a person, and can be incredibly important during as person's recovery from an Eating Disorder. Family Factors include:
Communication within the family, such as how the family deals with feelings.
Attitudes concerning the importance of appearance, achievement, etc.
The Parent’s own body image attitudes and dieting behavior.

Biological Factors

Biological Factors may include:
A person's predisposition to imbalances in serotonin (a neuro-transmitter involved in mood and brain function).
Reduced blood flow to the temporal lobe.
Fasting, over-exercise, and vomiting may affect chemicals which are involved in mood control.

Individual Factors A range of Individual Factors can also play an important role in the development of an Eating Disorder, such as:

  • People with high or overly high personal expectations
  • Belief that for someone to love them, they must be perfect.
  • Self-esteem issues
  • High need for approval from others
  • Social anxiety
  • People who find it difficult to express their feelings or needs.
  • People who find it difficult to be assertive.
  • A range of personality factors, which may be affected by malnutrition.


A range of External or Precipitating Factors may also be involved in the onset of an Eating Disorder, such as:

  • A life crisis, such as a family loss, a friendship loss, moving to a new home, school or job, personal disappointment etc.
  • Accumulation of relatively minor stress causing factors. In addition, cultural, family, and other individual factors may intensify at various times, causing heightened levels of stress.
  • Dieting
  • A history of abuse.
  • Uncertainty

Warning Signs

In addition to the signs and symptoms for each type of Eating Disorder , a range of warning signs can also indicate the possible development of an Eating Disorder. The possible early warning signs of Eating Disorders may include one or more of the following:    

  • Adoption of slow eating strategies, such as eating with a teaspoon.
  • Anxiety.
  • Avoidance of social situations involving food.
  • Depression.
  • Dieting or overeating.
  • Disappearance of large amounts of food, food wrappers in bins, and so on.
  • Excessive or fluctuating exercise patterns.
  • Faintness, dizziness, fatigue.
  • Fast eating.
  • Fear of becoming overweight.
  • Feelings of being out of control with respect to food.
  • Hoarding food.
  • Increased interest in preparing food for others.
  • Irritability.
  • Loss or disturbance of menstrual periods (females).
  • Making frequent excuses not to eat. Mood changes or mood swings.
  • Obsessive rituals, such as only drinking out of a certain cup, only eating certain foods on certain days, and so on.
  • Over eating.
  • Preoccupation with 'good' and 'bad' foods.
  • Pre-occupation with body appearance or weight. Radical change in clothing style.
  • Regular trips to the bathroom after meals - may be to regurgitate the food just eaten?
  • Sensitivity to the cold, especially when this id because someone is too thin.
  • Sleep disturbances.
  • Social withdrawal and social isolation.
  • Spending most of the meal time rearranging food on plate, without actually consuming much of it.
  • Wearing baggy clothes.
  • Weight loss or change, mostly due to dieting, but sometimes from a stressful situation or illness.

Many of the behaviors that are associated with Eating Disorders are secretive, hard to spot, or can be dismissed as someone "going through puberty". As such, it is not uncommon for an Eating Disorder to go undetected. In addition, some Eating Disorders are hard to detect for other reasons. For example, Bulimia can be very difficult to detect as the sufferer may be of normal or fluctuating body weight, and they may be good at hiding or disguising the signs and symptoms that may associate them with Bulimia. The symptoms of an Eating Disorder may be the first indications that the sufferer is experiencing psychological problems and distress. Some people exhibit many signs of an Eating Disorder, while others may exhibit only a few.

Complications and Effects
Eating Disorders can place a tremendous emotional strain on sufferers. If left unattended and untreated, Eating Disorders can destroy the quality of a sufferer's life and be potentially life threatening.
For example, the complications associated with Anorexia and other Eating Disorders can have an extreme affect on a person's health and well being, and the complications may include cardiac arrest, suicide, and a range of other extreme health, physical, and/or psychological issues.
For most Eating Disorder sufferers, however, the complications will hopefully be a lot more mild than this, but they may include:
Complications caused by Food Restriction and Starvation
Complications caused by Vomiting
Complications caused by Laxative Misuse
Emotional and Psychological Consequences of Eating Disorders
Each of these complication areas are discussed below.

11.1 Complications caused by Food Restriction and Starvation
Food Restriction and Starvation can be a symptom of several types of Eating Disorder, especially Anorexia. The complications caused by Food Restriction and Starvation may include any of the following:
Abdominal pain.
Anemia (iron deficiency).
Cardiac irregularities.
Changes in hair, skin and nails. For example, nails may become dry and brittle.
Constipation or diarrhea.
Easy bruising.
Fainting.
Fertility problems and even infertility.
Growth of down-like body hair.
Headaches.
Heartburn.
Hormonal irregularities.
Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels) which can cause confusion, illogical thinking, coma, shakiness, irritability and fatigue.
Kidney dysfunction.
Muscle wasting and/or weakness
Oedema (retention of body fluid giving a ‘puffy’ appearance – see section 16 Glossary of Terms).
Reduced bone density, possibly leading to osteoporosis.
Reduced concentration, memory and thinking ability.
Reduced metabolic rate leading to slow heart rate, low blood pressure, reduced body temperature and bluish colored extremities.
Severe sensitivity to the cold.
Stunting of growth and/or height.

11.2 Complications caused by Vomiting
Vomiting can be a symptom of several types of Eating Disorder, especially Anorexia and Bulimia. The complications caused by vomiting may include any of the following:
Abdominal pain.
Bloating.
Cramps – see electrolyte imbalance.
Electrolyte imbalance resulting in cardiac arrhythmia, muscle fatigue, and cramps.
Enlarged salivary glands.
Erosion of tooth enamel.
Heartburn.
Indigestion.
Muscle fatigue – see electrolyte imbalance.
Sore throat.

11.3 Complications caused by Laxative Misuse
Laxative misuse can be a symptom of several types of Eating Disorder, especially Anorexia and Bulimia. The complications caused by laxative misuse may include any of the following:
Abdominal and stomach cramps.
Bleeding, this can lead to anemia.
Bowel disease.
Bowel problems.
Constipation.
Dehydration - which can be very serious and may impair body functioning.
Diarrhea.
Electrolyte imbalance resulting in cardiac arrhythmia, muscle fatigue, and cramps.
Weakening of the bowel which may to lead difficultly with bowel movements.

11.4 Emotional and Psychological Consequences of Eating Disorders
A range of motional and psychological consequences can be caused by all types of Eating Disorder, and the resulting complications may include any of the following:
Anxiety and anxiety disorders
Depression
Difficulty with relationships
Drug abuse and drug misuse
Guilt
Impaired achievements at school, work, and so on.
Irritability.
Lack of assertiveness
moodiness
Obsessive behavior
Reduced quality of life
Self-dislike and even self-loathing
Sensitivity to criticism
Social isolation and social withdrawal
Suicidal tendencies, thoughts, or behavior

Prevention

Preventing Eating Disorder can be very difficult. However, ensuring that your friends, family and children are emotionally and mentally prepared to deal with the challenges of modern life and are able to confront the potential causes of Eating Disorders in general (see section 9 Causes above) is a good start towards preventing the development of Eating Disorders in the people you care most about. For example, regularly discuss sensible eating and nutritional habits with your children and family and ensure that your children are exposed to realistic body images.
If you suspect that any of your family or friends may have developed, or may be developing, an eating disorder (see section 10 Warning Signs above), then you can play a key part in providing the support and assistance that they will need in order to gain the courage to research and weigh up their behavior, seek a formal diagnosis, and, if the diagnosis is confirmed, to begin treatment. The sooner the Eating Disorders is diagnosed and appropriate treatments begun, the better the outcomes are likely to be. Early treatment can help prevent much or even all of the health, social, mental, and other damage and complications that can occur as a result of an Eating Disorder.


>> Dietary Guidelines >>