EATING DISORDERS Eating disorders involve having a normal body weight or a low body weight and is often characterized by fear of gaining weight, although individuals with binge eating disorder can be overweight as a result of excessively bingeing on food. People with binge eating disorder do not purge but feel guilty and anxious after eating a large amount of food. There are several types of eating disorders. Bulimia or bulimia nervosa involves binge eating in some cases along with efforts to get rid of the food through laxative abuse or vomiting. Excessive exercise can be a part of this disorder. Some of the adverse consequences of this disorder include heart failure, kidney failure, and tooth decay. There is an increased risk for substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. About 1 percent of women and about half a percent of men will have bulimia in their lifetime. Individuals with anorexia nervosa have a lower than normal body weight with episodes of starvation and excessive exercise. There is a distorted body image so they see themselves as overweight when they are not. There are adverse effects of this disorder, including kidney failure, heart failure, osteoporosis, decreased sexual function, and death. There is an increased risk of psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. The prevalence is about 1 percent of women and fewer men. Individuals who have what s called OSFED have other specified feeding or eating disorder” may have features of bulimia or anorexia but do not meet the criteria for either. Some can have things like purging disorder, which is the person who does not binge eat but uses bingeing techniques like vomiting, laxative abuse, or excessive exercise in order to get rid of food. Eating disorders can happen in any culture but is more prevalent in Western cultures because of cultural ideals related to one s weight. It tends to be the highest in adolescent girls between 15 and 19 years of age. There are social and genetic factors that probably play into getting an eating disorder.
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