What Causes Eating Disorders? No single cause for eating disorders - involves several complex factors  Cultural Pressures – being extremely thin is the standard of beauty  Psychological Issues – Low self-esteem, Depression, Need for control, etc  Family Environment – pressure from parents/siblings  Life transitions - moving

Who Does it Effect?  Both men and women  9/10 cases are found among girls and young women  Males account for 5 – 10 % of bulimia and anorexia cases

Types of Eating Disorders  Anorexia Nervosa  Bulimia Nervosa  Binge Eating  Compulsive Overeating

Anorexia Nervosa Characterized by:  self-starvation  excessive exercising  excessive weight loss  need to control their surroundings and emotions.

Anorexia Nervosa  refusal to keep body weight at or above what’s healthy  feeling overweight despite dramatic weight loss  loss of menstrual periods  Osteoporosis – loss of bone mass  extreme preoccupation with body weight and shape

Bulimia Nervosa  Binge eating- eating a large quantity of food in a short period of time  Then purge by using laxatives or forcing vomiting  Feeling out of control while eating.  Exercising excessively  Frequent dieting.

Using Laxatives  Laxatives do NOT make you lose weight  Empties only the colon – mainly losing water!  Chronic use results in :  Severe abdominal pain  Lose control of rectum = anal leakage  Bloating  Dehydration

Truth or Myth?  The causes of eating disorders are complex and involve social, psychological and genetic factors  Eating disorders are most common among teens and young adults.  The three most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating  People with anorexia or bulimia may over exercise.  There are no cases of males with eating disorders

Truth or Myth?  Treatments of eating disorders involve several different health professionals  Eating disorders can result in serious health consequences including death  Some athletes are susceptible to eating disorders due to their training regimens  Men are more likely than women to seek help for eating disorders  The pressures of a culture that promotes “thinness” and the “perfect body” contribute to causing eating disorders.