Eating Disorders
Description of Eating Disorders:
An eating disorder is a compulsion to eat, or avoid eating, that negatively
affects both one's physical and mental health. Eating disorders are all
encompassing. They affect every part of the person's life. According to the
authors of Surviving an Eating Disorder, "feelings about work, school,
relationships, day-to-day activities and one's experience of emotional well
being are determined by what has or has not been eaten or by a number on a scale."Anorexia
nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most common eating disorders generally
recognized by medical classification schemes, with a significant diagnostic
overlap between the two. Together, they affect an estimated 5-7% of females in
the United States during their lifetimes. There is a third type of eating
disorder currently being investigated and defined - Binge Eating Disorder. This
is a chronic condition that occurs when an individual consumes huge amounts of
food during a brief period of time and feels totally out of control and unable
to stop their eating. It can lead to serious health conditions such as morbid
obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
Specific Eating Disorders Information
Articles, questions and answers.
