Eating Disorders Essay -- essays research papers

Eating Disorders are extremely prevalent in todays society. AnorexiaNervosa and Bulimia Nervosa are characterized by gross disturbances in have behavior. These disorders typically begin in adolescence orearly adult life, affecting as many as "1 in 100 females between theages of 12 and 18 (Bronwell & type Aere Foreyt 312)."Anorexia Nervosa is a complex disorder where the individaul refuses tomaintain body exercising weight over a normal weight for age and height. Alsopresent, is an intent fer of gaining weight or becoming fat (Waller,Quinton, & Watson 127). People of this disorder say they "feel fat"even though they are obviously skinny or even emaciated. Theybecome preoccupied with their body size and are usually dissatisfiedwith some feature of their physical apperarance (Bronwell & Foreyt322). Weight loss is accomplished by a reduction of food intake. Self-induced vomiting or use of laxatives or diuretics are also commonmethods used to carry out weight l oss. Many people with this disorderminimize the severity of their illness and are uninterested in, orresistant, to any type of therapy (Waller, Quinton, & Watson 152).Severe weight loss may eventually lead to hospitalization to preventdeath by starvation.Bulimia Nervosa is a disorder in which the individual has recurrentepisodes of drunken revelry eating. Self-induced vomiting usually terminates thebinge (Browwell & Forey 335). Vomiting decreases the physical abdominalpain that occurs after an individual binges. Although binges may bepleasurble, self-criticism and a depressed whim often follow. Peoplewith this disorder exhibit great concern about their weight and makerepeated attempts to control it by dieting, vomiting, or the use ofdiuretics (Bronwell & Forey 342). Weight fluctuations are common due toalternating fasts and binges. These people often feel that their lifeis dominated by conflicts surrounding eating.The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) is a reliable and valid measure ofsymptoms commonly found in an eating disorder. The test was designed byGarner and Garfinkle in 1979. It was designed as a screening device forthe detection of clinical eating disorders (Boyadjieva & Steinhausen1996). Many clinicians have suggested that eating disorders are causedby extreme body focus. The EAT-26 is a xxvi item test whichfocuses on body self-evaluati... ... likely to gain internal control by disturbedeating patterns. Once again, the EAT-26 was given to 406 girls whoattended sxhools in England. As a result, the Asian girls had moreunhealthy eating patterns overall. Parental overprotection showed asignificant effect upon the results. Ethical differences did remainsignificant (McCourt & Waller 1995). Poor eating attitudes are also aproduct of the contradicting social pressures that affect the wholefamily. Asian girls found their capture to be overcontroling, thus itwas the mother who attempted to control the childrens behavior. It isnot yet known whe ther these perceptions are correlated with reality.However, the likely influences may be used during family therapy(McCourt & Waller 1995).Eating disorders are prevelant in many different kinds of cultures.There are many internal and external factors that play into thedisorder. The EAT-26 is a reliable test used in detecting possibledisordered eating patterns in individuals. With this disorder on therise, these tests are needed in the detection of the unhealthypatterns. Detection leads to education, which leads to intervention,which leads to eventual termination.