Disordered Eating

There are many times when the act of consuming of food varies from the norm; this variation can take place in the form of excessive consumption of food or a complete reduction in consumption to the point where an individual starves. Disordered eating patterns can occur due to genetic (e.g., obesity has some genetic causes), environmental, psychiatric, or as an effect of other diseases present in the individual.

There is a general consensus that one should attempt to adhere to the guidelines of food consumption to avoid complications. An attempt to eat three meals a day with a substantial breakfast and two smaller meals with healthy snacks such as yogurt is recommended. Meals should include a variety of foods and should include at least five fruits and vegetables, averaging out to 500 g a day. This enables one to consume the essential vitamins, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants. The consumption of oily fish once a week, which includes omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, is also recommended. Eating foods with low glycemic index is also recommended as these foods increase the time it takes for blood sugar levels to rise. Normal eating is, however, flexible in that a slight alteration in patterns over time or a greater alteration within a short period is considered normal and will not prove to be problematic.

Disordered eating appears in many different forms. The different types of disordered eating are discussed below.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric eating disorder. The disorder has a prevalence rate in women of 1 to 2 percent and 0.1 to 0.2 percent of males. However, 5 percent of women may experience many of the symptoms of anorexia nervosa without developing the full disorder. Most of the sufferers of the disorder are in their adolescence; however, the disorder has been known to occur in elderly people. The onset of anorexia nervosa during childhood can affect the timing of puberty and adult height. The intensity of the disease affects the timing of menarche in most patients.

Anorexia nervosa is prevalent in Caucasian women, particularly those from high academic backgrounds. Studies have shown that the disorder can be seen in those with family and marital problems. Patients often have certain characteristics such as obsessive compulsion for perfection and age-inappropriate engagement is sexual activity.

Although anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric disorder, the causes are often due to interplay between other factors, such as social and genetic factors; the latter is demonstrated by the fact that monozygotic twins have a higher occurrence rate of the disorder than dizygotic twins. There are many other risk factors for developing anorexia nervosa. The disorder is seen in higher rates among athletes, students who have heavy workloads, and those with previous exposure to traumatic life experiences (e.g., abuse).

Anorexia sufferers have a weight loss of 15 percent below the expected weight. This occurs due to individuals using various measures to reduce weight such as adhering to a strict diet which may comprise of avoiding the main meals in a day. These individuals may further perfom vigorous exercise to lose weight which they perceive as unhealthy, although [Page 192]to others they appear fragile and very slim. Hyperactivity is observed in approximately 80 percent of patients. These individuals may also use laxatives and diuretics to further lose weight. Patients may become severely depressed as a result of their constant dissatisfaction with their appearance.

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