Eating Disorders

Eating disorders (EDs) are unhealthy fixations on food that are potentially life threatening. Common behaviors include the cessation of caloric intake until one starves, the ingestion of food that is well beyond what is considered normal for one person, and eating vast amounts of food and then vomiting. Many individuals diagnosed with an ED experience extremes in their emotions, attitudes, and behaviors, feeling distressed and concerned about their body shape or weight. On the other hand, most mental health professionals state that the problem is not food; rather, the “real” issue is an acute insecurity about one's self, and the fixation upon food is a means of compensating for feelings or emotions that are overwhelming. Specifically, some individuals may begin dieting, bingeing, and purging as a means of coping with life, but eventually, the ED grows deadly. This entry discusses the causes, patterns and prevalence, types, health consequences, and treatment of EDs.

EDs affect women and girls more than men and boys. Statistically, 90 to 95 percent of anorexia nervosa patients are female, as are 80 percent of bulimia nervosa sufferers. A related issue is body image. In the United States, many women accept the thesis that the only [Page 233]attractive body shape is “thin”; likewise, thin is also considered to be more feminine and more attractive in men's eyes. Body ideals have consequences for eating habits: to achieve the ideal shape, women think eating less is better, whereas men hold that eating more is better. In addition, women are more likely to feel the need to fit certain expectations, such as commanding respect from their peers and wanting an attractive appearance for men. According to the feminist literature, EDs are a sign of power loss: (a) women lose power when their bodies become thinner, and (b), an ED helps women gain power by moving their body shapes toward more constrained potential. Men with EDs follow different trajectories to the disorder. Male patients are more likely to have a history of obesity with their ED commencing at an older age, and their ED occurs with a comorbid problem such as alcoholism or drug abuse. Gay men are more likely to suffer EDs than are their heterosexual counterparts because of an emphasis in the gay community that “thin” is beautiful.