Anorexia and Bulimia

One or two out of every one hundred students in America struggle with an eating disorder. Thousands of teenagers each year develop eating disorders, or problems with weight, eating, or body image. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are two types of eating disorders with distinct clinical presentations. Anorexia involves reduced caloric intake that is brought about by self-induced starvation. People with this disorder have a fear of weight gain and a distorted view of their body shape and size. They are usually very thin and underweight. Bulimia also involves reduced caloric intake, but is brought about by binge eating and then gastrointestinal purging. People with this disorder may be a normal weight or can even be overweight, which makes it a little more difficult to detect. People suffering from bulimia secretly eat large amount of food, typically junk foods, at once until they are full. They then purge themselves by vomiting, or by using laxatives or excessive exercise.

People who develop these eating disorders may start off just wanting to lose some weight and get in shape; however, the urge to eat less, to purge, or to over-exercise gets addicting and becomes too difficult to stop. They often view themselves as being fat or have an intense fear of becoming fat. Some signs of anorexia are that the person becomes very thing, frail, or emaciated, he or she becomes obsessed with eating, food, and weight control, the person repeatedly weighs himself or herself, only eat certain foods, excessively exercise, feel fat, withdraw from social activities, become depressed, lethargic, and feel cold a lot, and count food portions carefully. Signs of bulimia include fear of weight gain, intense unhappiness with body size, shape, and weight, go to the bathroom immediately after meals, only eat diet or low-fat foods while not binging, regularly buy laxatives, diuretics, or enemas, spend most of his or her time exercising, and withdraw from social activities. A definite cause is not certain about eating disorders. Often times the onset of eating disorders may be caused by physical and emotional changes in teenagers, as well as academic pressures and peer pressure. Images of fit models or other famous individuals may also cause someone to believe they should look just like that person, thus creating an eating problem for the individual. Some sports can also create an atmosphere for the onset of eating disorders because athletes need to maintain a certain body weight in order to compete. 

There are various effects or risks posed by eating disorders. Different problems may arise, including high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Serious health issues may develop, such as hearth conditions or kidney failure. Anorexia nervosa puts the body in starvation mode; meaning at least 15% of the individual’s body weight is less than average, causing the body to have less fat to keep organs and other body parts healthy. The lack of nutrition can cause a drop in blood pressure, pulse, and breathing ate, hair loss and fingernail breakage, loss of periods, lanugo hair, lightheadedness and inability to concentrate, anemia, swollen joints, and brittle bones. Bulimia nervosa involves lack of nutrition as well, causing constant stomach pain, damage to the stomach and kidneys, tooth decay, “chipmunk cheeks,” loss of periods, and loss of mineral potassium. Treatment solutions for these eating disorders include therapy or counseling, support from family and friends to help the individual get back on the right track, working wit dietitians, medical doctors, mental health professionals, and other professionals. Nutritional intervention is recommended as well as psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy in either the ambulatory or the hospital setting.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2181833 
http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/problems/eat_disorder.html#

Obesity

Obesity is a term describing body weight that is much greater than what is considered healthy. A person’s body mass index, or BMI, is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Adults with a BMI between 25 kg/m^2 and 30 kg/m^2 are considered overweight. Adults with a BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m^2 are considered to be obese. Anyone who is 100 pounds or more overweight or who has a BMI greater than or equal to 40 kg/m^2 is considered to be morbidly obese. The American society promotes increased food intake, non-healthful foods, and physical inactivity. This in return affects the rise in obesity in the United States.

Causes of obesity include eating more food than your body can use, drinking too much alcohol, and not getting enough exercise. Taking in more calories than your body burns leads to being overweight and will eventually lead to obesity. The human body stores unused calories as fat, not muscle. Some other causes of obesity may result from an underactive thyroid, which can lead to 5- 10 pounds of weight gain. Also, some antidepressants and antipsychotic medications may also contribute to weight gain and obesity. Obesity may also be a hereditary trait, making genetic factors a possible contributor in the development of obesity. Children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to become obese themselves than children of normal-weight parents. People at a higher risk for obesity include lower income groups, former smokers, people with chronic mental illness, people with disabilities, and people with a sedentary lifestyle. Obese people are also at greater risk for developing other medical problems, such as heart disease, kidney failure, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Treatment solutions are available for people with obesity, but they need to make the effort to follow through with the decision to become a healthy weight. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are critical components when it comes to controlling weight. The safest method over a long-term period would be to burn more calories than consumed. Exercising daily and eating the right foods and amounts of food are essential to losing the unwanted weight. Maintaining a diet schedule is very difficult; therefore, support from family and friends makes the effort to stay on track easier. Weight-loss medications as well as herbal remedies are also available to help get rid of excess weight. Many of these products do not work and pose dangers to users. It is important to consult health care providers before beginning any medications or other methods to lose weight. Surgery is another option mainly for very obese people having trouble losing the weight with diet and exercise. After surgery, however, exercise and healthy eating must follow. Eating less, but eating the right portions each day can help to maintain a healthy weight. Individuals must have the drive to lose the weight and keep it off in order to see results. If no one has the drive to maintain health and fitness, then the future of the active world will be in danger. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004552/
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/

Health and Fitness

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Curious about different health issues or ways to improve health? In the next few blogs, health and fitness will be discussed through various topics. Obesity, anorexia and bulimia, eating healthy, exercise, and dieting will all separately be explained. The causes, risks, and treatment solutions for obesity, anorexia, and bulimia will be mentioned. Also, the benefits and other information about eating healthy, exercising, and dieting will be provided. Keep a watchful eye for the upcoming blogs on health and fitness! Learn and enjoy!

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