Eating Healthy at College
Eating is controlled by many factors, including appetite, food
availability, family, peer and cultural practices. Dieting to a body
weight leaner than needed for your health is highly promoted by current
fashion trends, sales campaigns for special foods, and even by peer
pressure on our own campuses.
Approximately 1-5% of women will develop an eating disorder.
Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as
extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as
well as feelings of distress or concern about body shape or weight.
Researchers are investigating how and why initially voluntary actions,
such as eating smaller or larger amounts of food than usual, at some point
move beyond our control in some of us.
Eating disorders are not due to a failure in our own will or behavior,
rather, they are real, treatable medical illnesses in which certain
altered eating patterns seem to take on a life of their own. Two
main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and BULIMIA NERVOSA link to this infosheet.
Eating disorders often develop during adolescence or early adulthood (like
during college), but research has shown that they can occur in children as
well as older adults, too.[1]
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What is anorexia nervosa?
People who intentionally starve themselves or severely restrict their
food intake suffer from an eating disorder called anorexia nervosa.
The word anorexia literally means loss of appetite and approximately 1-2%
of women will be affected by this disorder. About half of all
anorexics display symptoms of bulimia. The disorder, which usually begins
in young people, mostly females, around the time or puberty, involves
extreme weight loss -- at least 15 percent below a young womanís normal
body weight. Those experiencing anorexia nervosa also have an intense fear
of becoming fat, even though they are underweight. Many people with the
anorexia look emaciated but are convinced that they are overweight.
Sometimes they must be hospitalized to prevent starvation, yet they often
continue to deny the condition. Food and weight become obsessions. For
some women, the compulsiveness shows up in strange eating rituals or the
refusal to eat in front of others. It is not uncommon for women with
anorexia to collect recipes and prepare lavish gourmet feasts for family
and friends, but not partake in the meals themselves. Often they will
maintain rigid exercise routines to keep off the weight. Knowing about
anorexia is especially important for college-age women since ninety
percent of all anorexics are women.
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What are the causes of anorexia nervosa?
The exact cause of ANOREXIA NERVOSA
remains unknown, but it is thought to be linked to a combination of
biological, psychological and environmental factors. Eating
disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders like
depression.
Additionally, scientists have found that anorexia and other eating
disorders seem to run in families, especially in females. For
example, a woman has a 10 to 20 times greater risk of developing an eating
disorder if she has a sibling with the disease.[2] This may suggest a role for our
genes in giving some of us a predisposition to eating disorders.
Biological characteristics of women with anorexia have shown these women
to have lower levels of the brain chemicals seratonin and
norepinepherine.[3] Altered levels of these chemicals
have also been noticed in people suffering from
depression.
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Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa
People with anorexia may believe that they would be happier and more
successful if they were thin; a notion that many college-women are all too
familiar with. Anorexics tend to be perfectionists. They want
everything in their lives to be perfect. People suffering from this
illness are typically good students and are involved in many school and
community activities. They tend to blame themselves if things in their
life are less than perfect. Many anorexics suffer from errors in thinking
or perceptions. They incorrectly believe they need to lose weight to find
happiness. Common in anorexics is their distorted view of their own body.
Others have had difficulties in relationships and manifest these problems
through their eating habits. Anorexia can also be the delayed result of
unresolved conflicts or painful experiences from
childhood.
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What problems are associated with anorexia?
There are many health consequences of anorexia nervosa. Women with
anorexia usually stop having menstrual periods; this is a condition called
amenorrhea. Anorexia may lead to dry skin and thinning hair. Anorexics may
grow fine hair all over their body as a natural defense mechanism against
extreme weight loss and the accompanying drop in body temperature. People
suffering from anorexia may feel cold and are easily susceptible to
illness. Mood swings often occur. The National Institute of Mental Health
estimates that one in ten people with anorexia dies from starvation,
suicide or medical complications like heart attacks or kidney failure.
Physical problems also include anemia, heart palpitations, bone loss,
tooth decay, as well as inflammation of the esophagus.
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What is the treatment for anorexia?
Eating disorders can be treated and a healthy weight restored.
Anorexia is a mental problem manifested in a physical form and demands
immediate medical attention. The sooner the condition is diagnosed and
treated, the better the outcomes are likely to be. Treatment for any
eating disorder should include a mental health professional as well as a
primary health care physician, and nutrition experts. Essential components
of successful treatments are ongoing medical care, regular psychotherapy,
nutritional counseling, and possibly medication. Some eating disorders may
be treated with antidepressants; however, they appear to be less effective
for anorexia nervosa. Physicians help monitor bone density loss and can
detect heart rhythm disturbances. Psychologists and psychiatrists help
patients identify the important emotional issues and replace destructive
thoughts and behaviors with more positive ones. Support groups also play a
role in treating anorexia. Often groups of patients will meet weekly to
discuss their fears and help each other recover. Most cases of anorexia
can be treated successfully, but not instantly. For many patients,
treatments may need to be long-term. Luckily, though, most of the health
effects of anorexia can be reversed once the patient gains weight.
The specific treatment program for anorexia involves three main
phases:[4]
- restoring weight loss that resulted from severe dieting and purging.
- Treating psychological disturbances such as distortion of body image, low self-esteem, and interpersonal conflicts,
and
- achieving long-term remission and rehabilitation, or full recovery.
Early diagnosis and treatment increases the chances for
success. Use of psychotropic medication should only be used after
weight gain has begun. Certain serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
have been shown to be useful in helping patients maintain weight and
controlling mood and anxiety problems associated with
anorexia.
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What are some of the warning signs of anorexia?
Possible warning signs include:
- Deliberate self-starvation with weight loss
- Intense fear of gaining weight
- A self-perception of being fat when the woman is already too thin
- Refusal to eat
- Denial of hunger
- Constant exercising
- Greater amounts of hair on the body or the face
- Sensitivity to cold
- Absent or irregular periods
- Depression
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How can family and friends help?
If you think a friend or family member has anorexia, talk with them
about the behavior that you observed in a caring, nonjudgmental way and
encourage the person to get medical help. If you think you have anorexia,
remember that you are not alone and that this is a health problem that
requires professional help. As a first step, talk to your parents,
physician, religious counselor, or campus health professional.
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References
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