what exactly is an eating disorder?

Question

now i know all about anorexia and bulimia,but apart from that like how can u define it otherwise?are yo-yo diets included in this diorder? like i go a strict diet when i wanna lose weight for some special occassion and successfully drop the targeted weight but after the occassion's over i get a kinda craving and start gorging again,then gain some weight and go on a strict diet again,this roller coaster dieting is driving me mad,what are it's consequences? please help!!!!

Answer 1

Eating disorders are complex, chronic illnesses largely misunderstood and misdiagnosed. The most common eating disorders - anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder No one knows exactly what causes eating disorders.

More than ninety percent of those with eating disorders are women. Further, the number of American women affected by these illnesses has doubled to at least five million in the past three decades.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a dangerous condition in which people can literally starve themselves to death. People with this disorder eat very little even though they are already thin. They have an intense and overpowering fear of body fat and weight gain, repeated dieting attempts, and excessive weight loss. This particular eating disorder affects from 0.5% to 1% of the female adolescent population with an average age of onset between 14 and 18 years.3 Anorexia is identified in part by refusal to eat, an intense desire to be thin, repeated dieting attempts, and excessive weight loss. To maintain an abnormally low weight, people with anorexia may diet, fast, or over exercise. They often engage in behaviors such as self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. People with anorexia believe that they are overweight even when they are extremely thin. Often, the beginning of illness will occur after a stressful life event such as initiation of puberty or moving out of the parents' home.

Bulimia Nervosa

Individuals suffering from Bulimia Nervosa follow a routine of secretive, uncontrolled or binge eating (ingesting an abnormally large amount of food within a set period of time) followed by behaviors to rid the body of food consumed. This includes self - induced vomiting and/or the misuse of laxatives, diet pills, diuretics (water pills), excessive exercise or fasting. Bulimia afflicts approximately 1% - 3% of adolescents in the US with the illness usually beginning in late adolescence or early adult life.3 As with anorexia nervosa, those with bulimia are overly concerned with food, body weight, and shape. Because many individuals with bulimia 'binge and purge' in secret and maintain normal or above normal body weight, they can often hide the disorder from others for years. Binges can range from once or twice a week to several times a day and can be triggered by a variety of emotions such as depression, boredom, or anger. The illness may be constant or occasional, with periods of remission alternating with recurrences of binge eating.

Individuals with bulimia are often characterized as having a hard time dealing with and controlling impulses, stress, and anxieties. Bulimia nervosa can and often does occur independently of anorexia nervosa, although half of all anorexics develop bulimia.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

Binge eating disorder (BED) is the newest clinically recognized eating disorder. BED is primarily identified by repeated episodes of uncontrolled eating. The overeating or bingeing does not typically stop until the person is uncomfortably full. Unlike anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, however, BED is not associated with inappropriate behaviors such as vomiting or excessive exercise to rid the body of extra food. The illness usually begins in late adolescence or in the early 20s, often coming soon after significant weight loss from dieting. Some researchers believe that BED is the most common eating disorder, affecting 15% - 50% of participants in weight control programs. In these programs, women are more likely to have BED than males. Current findings suggest that BED affects 0.7% - 4% of the general population.3

To the lay person, BED can be difficult to distinguish from other causes of obesity. However, the overeating in individuals with BED is often accompanied by feeling out of control and followed by feelings of depression, guilt, or disgust.

Complications - People with BED are often overweight because they maintain a high calorie diet without expending a similar amount of energy. Medical problems for this disorder are similar to those found with obesity such as increased cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes, as well as increased risk for gallbladder disease, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Researchers have shown that individuals with BED also have high rates of depression.

Eating Disorder not Otherwise Specified (ENDOS)

The Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) category is for disorders of eating that do not meet the criteria for any specific eating disorder. In EDNOS, individuals engage in some form of abnormal eating but do not exhibit all the specific symptoms required to diagnose an eating disorder. For instance, an individual with EDNOS may meet all the criteria of anorexia nervosa but manage to maintain normal weight while someone else may engage in purging behavior with less frequency or intensity than a diagnosed bulimic.

Disordered Eating

Far more common and widespread than defined eating disorders are atypical eating disorders, or disordered eating. Disordered eating refers to troublesome eating behaviors, such as restrictive dieting, bingeing, or purging, which occur less frequently or are less severe than those required to meet the full criteria for the diagnosis of an eating disorder. Disordered eating can be changes in eating patterns that occur in relation to a stressful event, an illness, personal appearance, or in preparation for athletic competition. The 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Study found that over 4% of students nationwide had taken laxatives, diet pills or had vomited either to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight.5

While disordered eating can lead to weight loss or weight gain and to certain nutritional problems, it rarely requires in depth professional attention. On the other hand, disordered eating may develop into an eating disorder. If disordered eating becomes sustained, distressing, or begins to interfere with everyday activities, then it may require professional evaluation.

DIAGNOSIS

Because of the secretive habits of many individuals with eating disorders, their conditions often go undiagnosed for long periods of time. In the cases of anorexia nervosa, signs such as extreme weight loss are more visible. Bulimics who maintain normal body weight, on the other hand, may be able to hide their condition to the casual observer. Family members and friends might notice some of the following warning signs of an eating disorder:

Answer 2

Eating disorders are a category of mental disorder. Individuals with an eating disorder have some kind of problem with food e.g. overeating, undereating or vomiting repeatedly. So really yo-yo dieting isn't actually an eating disorder but it's still extremely bad for you, much more than people think. By starving your body of food you are taking away essential vitamins and nutrients that the body needs (remember we all need a bit of fat in our diet). Then when you start binging you're putting rubbish into your body which isn't exactly good for you either!

The best way to lose weight successfully and keep it off is to change your attitude towards food. I know it doesn't seem like a quick solution but any quick solutions never work in the long run. Instead of going on a diet just try to start eating healthily and think of yourself as rewarding your body by eating healthily rather than thinking of it as a punishment. If you get cravings, allow yourself to have just a bit (e.g. let yourself have a small bar of chocolate) rather than just giving in on your healthy eating and gorging. Good luck.

Answer 3

What Is Behind Eating Disorders? :
- When Food Is Your Enemy
- Anorexia and Bulimia Facts & Dangers
- What Causes Eating Disorders?
- Eating Disorders--What Can Help?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1999/1/22/article_01.htm

Yo-yo dieting may have a long-term negative effect on immune function.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-06/fhcr-ydm060104.php

Yo-yo dieting -- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
http://www.fhcrc.org/about/pubs/center_news/2004/jun3/sart4.html

Eating Disorders:
- Causes & Risk Factors
- Signs & Symptoms
- - For Anorexia Nervosa
- - For Bulimia Nervosa
- - For Binge Eating Disorder
- Treatment
- Questions to Ask - Self-Care/Prevention
http://www.mcg.edu/students/selfcare/eating.htm

Answer 4

an eating disorder is a mental disorder. Yo-Yo dieting is not an eating disorder even though it is as bad for the body as other disorders. You can look it up in the DSM-1111. eating disorders are linked to other mental illnesses, such as depression. Yo-Yo dieting is just bad way to diet-just eat health most of the time and you wont have to yo-yo

Answer 5

ii dnt think there are any consequenses lol iits perfectly normal to have a diet like that !! mabii yuu need to just watch what yuu eat so instead of goiing on a relii strict diet dont just keep a normal balanced diet eat three times a day and have a few snacks inbetween but DONT very between both cause iit cant do yuu any good eating loads of junk and thn not yull just b screwing up yur motabalism!! just constantly snack on healthy stuff and eventually yur cravings wiill go!!

Answer 6

An eating disorder means eating your food out-of-order. Say, if you like to have dinner at 8am, then breakfast at noon, the lunch at 6pm, you have an eating disorder. Another variation is when you eat your desert first, and your salad last. Eating should be ORDERLY, not disorderly.

Answer 7

cumpulsive eating is a disorder too.....when you live to eat not eat to live....and yes the yo yo diet is included in the disorder.....a well balanced diet is the only thing that is NOT a disorder

Answer 8

It's when you eat too much most of the time, or eat too little most of the time.