Eating Disorders

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 12th grade February 2008

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EATING DISORDERS Eating disorders is an upset of normal function; disease. Although obesity is often regarded as the biggest enemy in the nutritional war, five to ten million Americans face victims to eating disorders. Known as common eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, exercise bulimia, and binge eating are disorders afflicting millions both physically and psychologically (Anonymous, 2000, paragraph 1). These disorders, which are more common in young women than men, arise from many possible situations. The most widely accepted reasons for this disease are misdirected anger, brain chemistry, and media influences (Gliatto, 2000, paragraph1). It is quite common to see the beginnings of these eating disorders in late childhood and teenage years. There is also evidence showing that eating disorders are more common in the upper middle class echelon that of a lower social status.

Physically, all four types of eating disorders place the person at health risks, which may very well lead to their death.

Lacking the proper nutrients, these people create chemical imbalances, which damage their harts and increase their chances of getting diseases such as cancer (Anonymous, 2000, paragraph 2). Examples of physical symptoms and behavioral patterns of people suffering from eating disorders would be unexplained fluctuations in weight and excessive exercising, (Anonymous, 2000, paragraph 3) such as in the case of Dr. Thomas Holbrook, this self diagnosed psychiatrist would walk 8 hours a day and at one point, during his bout with anorexia weighed 135lbs. Dr. Holbrook is a 6ft. tall man who should weight 170lbs. to 200lbs (Nelson & Tauber, 2000, paragraph 3). With the exception of interrupted mental cycles in women both sexes suffer from frequent headaches, bruised knuckles, swelling of the face, and poor hair texture (Anonymous, 2000, paragraph 4).

Patients suffering these disorders also show typical psychological symptoms and behavioral patters. Psychologically...