Eating disorder can be described as
abnormal eating habits that are caused by a number of psychological,
physiological and cultural factors. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia
nervosa and binge eating or compulsive eating are the most
common types of disorder. These disorders affect man and woman, irrespective of
their ages. Studies reveal that eating disorder in children and teens are also
increasing. According to a clinical report released by the American Academy of
Pediatrics 1% to 2% of adolescent girls suffer from bulimia nervosa, while 0.5
percent suffer from anorexia nervosa. Another study by Identification
and Management of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents reveals that the
number of children less than 12 years hospitalized on account of eating
disorder ailments increased by 119% from the year 1999 to 2006.
Different Types of Eating
Disorders
As more and more children and
teens are falling prey to eating disorders, it is imperative that parents
educate themselves about these disorders and help their children change their
unhealthy habits.
·
Anorexia nervosa makes one
think that they will gain weight if they eat food and thus stops them from
taking the right amount of food. Thus these people have very less body weight.
This may be a result of the modern society's infatuation to the concept of
beauty, glamor and more precisely to 'thinness'.
·
Bulimia nervosa is eating in
heavy quantities and then purging in order to compensate for the heavy calorie
intake. A person engages themselves in rigorous exercise, laxative use or
vomiting.
·
Binge eating is eating
continuously to the extent of feeling uncomfortable. People with disorder may
be obese or have normal body weight.
Elders and family members must
be aware of the symptoms and treatment of eating disorder in children in
order to combat with these disorders.
Societal and Cultural Factors
influencing Children and Teens
Today children and adolescents
face a lot of pressure from family and society. Our culture is obsessed with
'how to look good' and 'how to feel good'. Media plays a great role in making
them worship this concept. Children and adolescents try to imitate the world of
glitz and glamor. They feel that if they don't look and feel good, they will
not be accepted by the society. In their attempts to look and feel good, they
develop certain abnormal eating habits. Thus low self-esteem, obsession with
body appearance, trauma, biological predisposition and many similar factors
trigger the development of eating disorders. These are the main causes of
bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa.
Similarly, binge eaters suffer
due to low self-esteem, critical comments about their body weight and appearance,
biological abnormalities particularly when the hypothalamus is unable to send
the right message about appetite.
Treatments
Eating disorders may have critical
consequences. Parents must consult family doctor, psychiatrist, therapist,
dietitian or nutrition expert. Children and adolescents need to be aware of
their disorder and try to change their eating habits. The sufferer must be
monitored by his/her medical team on a regular basis. Various therapies used by
psychologists really help to bring back the confidence in children and change
their distorted thinking patterns.
Thus family involvement, medical
and psychological support along with self-confidence do wonders for children
and teens suffering from eating disorders.
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