Eating Disorders: A National Health Concern
Eating disorders are serious psychiatric conditions which when leftunattended can lead to fatal consequences. It is more pronounced in thewestern world where beauty is identified with the slim and slender figures.Eating disorders have become a major national health care concern over thelast two decades and the following three main forms namely Anorexianervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge eating disorders have been commonlyobserved. The exact figures as to the number of people affected by any ofthese varied forms of eating disorders, is not available because in mostcases the problem is left unidentified. Though predominantly a femaledisorder this problem is now also being recognized with a growing number ofmales. Statistics show that more than 8 million American women suffer fromanorexia or bulimia complications while the figures stand at 1 million forAmerican men. (BethAnne Black) Also more than 25 million Americans aresupposedly affected by binge eating disorder. With obesity being aclinically identified condition in more than 20% of the overweightpopulation more and more people are becoming diet conscious and undertakeextreme measures to stay thin. Let us discuss these different
Binge eatingdisorder is a condition associated mainly with obese people and more evenlydistributed with both male and female populations. Fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline are some of the drugswhich have proved to be effective in reducing the frequency of bingeing andcontrolling weight. Periods of bingeing are followed by periods of non-eating and oftenbulimics go without food for a more than 24 hours after a binge. Anorexics have a negative body image and are overly obsessed with loosingweight even though they have perfect body weight for their height. Bulimicsinduce vomiting to flush out their digestive tracts while use of laxativesis also equally common. Othersymptoms include acute starvation and exertion to burn off the calories. This psychiatric condition which is common among young women ischaracterized by the abnormal pattern of overeating followed by thetendency to purge out in an attempt to avoid putting on weight. Thomas Holbrook, a psychiatrist who specialized intreating patients with eating disorder was himself suffering from anorexiawithout knowing it for years together. Typically bulimics consume several meals within a short period of time andtheir eating behavior is stopped only when they feel uncomfortably full. The prevailing socio cultural environment is such that physicalappearance is equated with personal worth. Approximately 1-4% ofthe US population is estimated to be suffering from binge eating disorder. There is adistinct lack of control over eating behavior which is often followed bycompensatory behavior in the form of vomiting or over use of laxatives. (Appolinario JC, 2004) Cognitive behavioral therapy isalso very vital in redressing the binge eating behavior. eatingdisorders in a little detail.
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