The Ideas of Healthy Eating and Thinness at an Early Age - Essay Example

 Dieting and weight loss are now common in males and females of all ages. Television, motion pictures and the print media portray a slender body as a way to obtain power, control and success. Americans are exposed to the ideas of healthy eating and thinness at an early age, and by early childhood they are learning the power they wield over their bodies through weight loss. Disordered eating syndromes, which may include use of fad diets, fasting and specialized vitamin formulas, are not classified as eating disorders. (Johnson, 1996) There are several eating disorders affecting both the physical and emotional health of not only the young generation but the adults as well. Anorexia nervosa is one among the various eating disorders affecting both men and women these days. According to the Ohio State University Family and Consumer Sciences, “Food, calories, fat grams, weight, and weight management dominate the person's life and attempts to help are often ignored or met with denial or anger.” (“What is anorexia?”) Reduced caloric intake, a hallmark of both disorders, is manifested by self-induced starvation in anorexia. (Gold, 1990) Anorexia nervosa was considered a distinct clinical entity when it was independently reported in 1874 by two physicians, Laseque and Gull. It was Gull who named the disorder “anorexia nervosa.” He described extreme emaciation in young women, associated with increased activity, episodes of binge eating, amenorrhea and low body temperature. (Gold, 1990) Anorexia nervosa remains a disorder that primarily affects young women, with onset generally between the ages of 12 and 25 years. Epidemiologic studies in the United States and Europe have documented an increased incidence in young women. However, numerous cases of new onset anorexia in elderly men and women have been reported. (Gold, 1990) The prevalence of anorexia varies between 2 and 5 percent among adolescent and young adult women. The disorder carries a mortality rate of 5 percent in the first two years. Among untreated patients, mortality can approach 20 percent. A perfectionist lifestyle, punctuated by one or more performance-related stresses, predisposes to anorexia nervosa. (Gold, 1990) Physical Effects of Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa affects mainly young women and is characterized by refusal to maintain body weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and feelings of fatness even when they are actually thin. (Gold, 1990) Anorexia nervosa remains a disorder that primarily affects young women, with onset generally between the ages of 12 and 25 years. Epidemiologic studies in the United States and Europe have documented an increased incidence in young women. However, numerous cases of new onset anorexia in elderly men and women have been reported. (Gold, 1990) The typical anorectic patient has a distorted body image and usually has a need to maintain an ultra-thin silhouette or to suppress menses. She sees herself as obese regardless of the degree of emaciation. However, her perception of the physical appearance of others remains accurate. A patient’s drawings of family members are usually undistorted, but those of herself show an exaggeratedly obese figure. (Gold, 1990) Anorexics tend to eat “safe,” low-calorie foods. Many times, these foods must be consumed in specific quantities, for example, 10 green beans or one tablespoon of ketchup. Many anorexics go so far as to count the calories in chewing gum, medicines and the glue on postage stamps. (Gold, 1990) The most obvious physical effect of anorexia nervosa is illustrated with extreme thinness. Starvation produces an emaciated or skeletal body habitus, leading to such appearance Moreover, as the patients continue to starve themselves; their bodies continue to conserve resources. (Gold, 1990) Hormonal changes such as the changes in reproductive hormones and in the thyroid hormones result from this condition. (“Eating Disorders”) As an effect, menstruation among women and the secondary sexual characteristics are suppressed or even reversed. (Gold, 1990) This could be exhibited by the absence of menstruation or amenorrhea and infertility. (“Eating Disorders”) Starvation places the body in a high-stress state, which causes cortisol levels to rise. High levels of cortisol feed back to the hypothalamus to turn off secretion of cortisol-releasing hormone and the pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Decreased pulsatile secretion of GnRH leads to decreased circulating levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which subsequently lead to amenorrhea. (Johnson, 1996) Loss of menstrual periods may be three months in a row or more. This may result into a delay in puberty in both girls and boys from a disruption in sex-hormone production. (“Causes”) With the stop of menstrual periods, the body starts to lose calcium from the bones. If anorexia nervosa becomes severe, its victims will develop osteoporosis (thinning of the bones), an irregular heartbeat and heart failure. (“Anorexia”) If they don’t lay enough bone during puberty, they are more likely to get fractures later in life. (“Causes”) Breathing, pulse and blood pressure rates fall. Victims’ hair and nails become brittle, their skin dries, yellows and they may develop a layer of soft hair called “lanugo.” (“Anorexia”) Dry skin and thinning scalp hair are caused by starvation and by decreased collagen. Lanugo, a fine downy coat of hair, develops on the torso and extremities. This phenomenon is analogous to an animal’s fur thickening during the winter months in order to conserve heat. (Johnson, 1996) In addition, anorexia nervosa could also lead to a retarded growth among very young victims. (“Eating Disorders”) Other digestive problems such as bloating and constipation may result from anorexia. The digestive tract slows its metabolism process due to less or no food intake, leaving sufferers feeling full and constipated. This makes eating even more difficult for them. (“Causes of Anorexia”) Hair loss, cold intolerance and multiple upper respiratory infections are typical complaints. Edema and hypercarotenemia may be seen. (Gold, 1990) Without adequate amounts of water, the victims will suffer from constipation. As their bodies lose fat, their internal temperature falls, making them less tolerant of cold weather. Mild anemia and swollen joints often develop and muscles waste away. (“Anorexia”) In addition, loss of water in the body may lead to dehydration and in severe cases, may further result in kidney failure. (“What is Anorexia?”) Imbalance of minerals and electrolytes in the body is yet another cause of anorexia. The body needs an adequate amount of minerals, particularly calcium and potassium, in order to maintain the electric currents that keep the heart beating. Since there is no food that has been taken into the body, the level of fluids and minerals are disrupted, thus creating an electrolyte imbalance. This imbalance must be restored otherwise it may threaten the life of the patient. (“Eating Disorders”) Heart palpitations are caused by electrolyte shortages that may lead to death. (“Causes of Anorexia”) Cardiac complications are fairly common and are the most frequent cause of death in patients with anorexia. (Johnson, 1996) Anorexia can cause irregular heart rhythms and result in smaller heart muscles. (“Eating Disorders”) As a result, the heart could not pump properly, thus the patient feels weak. Anorexics become hypersensitivity to heat and cold from the heart not pumping properly (“Causes of Anorexia”) Emotional Effects of Anorexia Nervosa The drive for thinness is accompanied by a dissatisfaction with the body and a perceptual disturbance, which involves a distortion of how affected individuals perceive body shape. (Garfinkel, 1989) Anorexic patients become obsessive-compulsive in every aspect of their lives from food to body shape as well as their daily activities. People who are suffering from anoxia often arrange and rearrange their food on their place to make it appear that they have eaten. They often deceive themselves by either keeping as much food even though they don’t eat them. Sometimes, they also cut them into tiny pieces to look like they ate up something. (Johnson, 1996) Anorexics may use ritualistic behaviors to continually assess weight and body size, such as frequent daily weighings and measurement of body parts. These patients are obsessed with burning up calories, which leads to incessant exercising. Even when severely emaciated and malnourished, anorexic patients may vigorously exercise in an attempt to burn the few calories that they have consumed. Daily tasks such as bathing, homework and occupation are also often highly ritualized. Any deviation from the normal routine is a source of intense anxiety for patients with anorexia. (Johnson, 1996) Anorexic patients frequently deny the severity of their illness, which makes therapy difficult. They perceive their thinking as being entirely rational and think that their families, friends and health care providers are attempting to “fatten them up.” They see the rest of the world as dysfunctional and themselves as having within reality. (Johnson, 1996) Delayed psychosexual development is often present in patients with anorexia and may be caused by a variety of factors. Anorexic patients tend to socially isolate themselves as a result of both a lack of self-esteem and a fear of breaking out of their highly ritualistic lifestyle. Starvation also represses female sex hormone secretion to a pre-pubertal level and there is a loss of interest in sexuality. (Johnson, 1996) As their bodies struggle to survive, people with anorexia nervosa can suffer from lethargy, loss of interest, increased feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness and other symptoms of depression that discourage them from seeking treatment. (“Anorexia”) Depression is a common manifestation of the illness and is almost always alleviated by nourishment once they are treated. (Johnson, 1996) Other emotional effects associated with anorexia nervosa are difficulty in concentrating on anything else except weight, isolation from family and friends, emotional regression to a child-like state, feelings of guilt, and dependence upon alcohol or drugs to handle the negative outlook. (“Causes of Anorexia”) Conclusion The improved level of knowledge about eating disorders is increasing in frequency and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. They represent a significant public health risk among specific population groups. With this concern, as much as majority of the blame is put on the media, it must as well facilitate in increasing the awareness of the people regarding these illnesses. The treatment of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa composes the physical, as well as the psychological and emotional treatment that make these kinds of illnesses a difficult one to treat. However, making the people aware of its effects may help prevent the occurrence of these illnesses. Otherwise, people affected by eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa may lead to death. Works Cited: Anorexia Nervosa. http://www.avalon-eatingdisorders.com/anorexia.html. January 31, 2007. Causes of Anorexia Nervosa. http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Fall05/holman/anorexiacauses.html. January 31, 2007. Eating disorders. http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00294.html. January 31, 2007. Garfinkel, P.E. (1989) An overview of the eating disorders anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Nutrition Today Gold, M. (1990) Anorexia and bulimia. American Family Physician Johnson, C. (1996) Anorexia nervosa: an overview. (includes patient information sheets) American Family Physician What is anorexia? http://www.helpguide.org/mental/anorexia_signs_symptoms_causes_ treatment.htm. January 31, 2007. Read More