What are Eating Disorders? Do you believe that only females are victims of eating disorder? Can men be victims too? How you fell about eating disorder between both males and females? Studies have shown that men are likely to be victims of eating disorder same as a female. After doing a lot of researching, there was a lot of statistical information based upon this topic. When reading my paper, it will express and explain sex differences in eating disorder. Eating disorder is any of a range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits. Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating orders involves emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Having this kind of disorder causes emotional and physical problems, that can be a life-threatening consequence for females and males. These types of disorders are described as, Anorexia Nervosa being very serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. (NED13) Binge Eating Disorder is a type of disorder not otherwise specified and is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures to counter the binge eating. (NED13) Bulimia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating. (NED13) Last eating disorder is called Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS), this is basically a disorder that does not have a name to it. A person does not have to be diagnosed with Anorexia, Bulimia or BED to have an eating disorder. An eating disorder can include a combination of signs and symptoms but not meet the full criteria. (NED13)
General statistics: show that eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses millions of people every year in the United States. Eating disorders are real, complex, and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. Having an eating disorder can harm your life and therefore should seek for help. The longer you wait for help, the less the likelihood of physical and emotional recovery. Anorexia nervosa’s cycle of self-starvation, the body is denied the essential nutrients it needs to function normally. As a result to that, the abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which mean that the heart muscle is changing. It reduces the bone density, which results in dry, brittle bones. The muscle loss and weakens. Kidney failure can happen because of severe dehydration. Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness can play a part of eating disorders. Hair loss, dry skin and hair are very common. Studies of nearly fifty years if research confirms that anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of a psychiatric disorder (Arcelus, Mitchell, Wales, & Nielsen, 2011).
Statistic information on eating disorders by Swanson, S., Crow, S., Le Grange, D., Swendsen, J., Merikangas, K. (2011), describes the rate of eating disorders in adolescents. They did a sample of 10,123 adolescents ranging from 13- to 18-years-old. Importantly, this survey used face-to-face interviews which are likely to improve the accuracy of making diagnoses. They also was surprised in many cases while doing this procedure and find out that there was not a female preponderance in AN and BN. Moreover, AN was only associated with oppositional defiant disorder, not other psychiatric diagnoses. The majority (73 to 88%) of adolescents with ED reported some contact with service providers, such as mental health specialty care, school services, or general medical services. However, only a minority (3 to 28%) had specifically talked with a professional about their eating or weight problems. As the authors note, whether this is due to denial, shame or stigma,