| Anorexia nervosa is eating disorder | | | | People who lose weight by dieting are |
| characterized by low body weight and | | | | often reinforced by positive comments |
| body image distortion with an obsessive | | | | from others and from their changing |
| fear of gaining weight. Anorexia nervosa | | | | appearance. Symptoms may include is |
| is a serious, often chronic, and | | | | weight loss of 15% or greater below the |
| life-threatening eating disorder defined | | | | expected weight , inappropriate use of |
| by a refusal to maintain minimal body | | | | laxatives, enemas, or diuretics (water |
| weight within 15 percent of an | | | | pills) in an effort to lose weight. |
| individual's normal weight. Persons with | | | | Anorexia nervosa is the result of a |
| this disorder may have an intense fear | | | | complex interplay between biological, |
| of weight gain and a distorted body | | | | psychological, and social factors, which |
| image. Inadequate eating or excessive | | | | tend to affect women more than men, and |
| exercising results in severe weight | | | | adolescents more than older women. More |
| loss. Other essential features of this | | | | than 90% of cases occur in females. |
| disorder include an intense fear of | | | | However, it should be emphasized that |
| gaining weight, a distorted body image, | | | | males represent approximately 10% of |
| and amenorrhea. In fact, people with | | | | anorexia nervosa cases, a fact that |
| anorexia nervosa ignore hunger and thus | | | | often is overlooked. Anorexia nervosa is |
| control their desire to eat. This desire | | | | primarily a phenomenon of puberty and |
| is frequently sublimated through cooking | | | | early adulthood. Eighty-five percent of |
| for others or hiding food that they will | | | | patients have onset of the disorder |
| not eat in their personal space. | | | | between the ages of 13 and 18 years. |
| Anorexia nervosa usually occurs in | | | | Drug treatments, such as SSRI or other |
| adolescence or young adulthood. It is | | | | antidepressant medication, have not been |
| more common in females. People with | | | | found to be generally effective for |
| anorexia nervosa usually lose weight by | | | | either treating anorexia. Nutritional |
| reducing their total food intake and | | | | therapy. A dietitian offers guidance on |
| exercising excessively. Anorexia is also | | | | following a healthy diet. A dietitian |
| linked to reduced blood flow in the | | | | can provide specific meal plans and |
| temporal lobes, although since this | | | | calorie requirements to help meet weight |
| finding does not correlate with current | | | | goals. Group therapy is often advised so |
| weight, it is possible that it is a risk | | | | people can share their experiences with |
| trait rather than an effect of | | | | others. Family therapy is important |
| starvation. | | | | particularly if the individual is living |
| Anorexia nervosa often starts between | | | | at home and is a young adolescent. |
| the ages of 15 and 25, but it can | | | | Supportive care by health care |
| develop in children as young as 10 and | | | | providers, structured behavioral |
| in older people. Anorexia nervosa" is | | | | therapy, psychotherapy, and |
| frequently shortened to "anorexia" in | | | | anti-depressant drug therapy are some of |
| both the popular media and scientific | | | | the methods that are used for treatment. |
| literature. Many persons with this | | | | Anorexia Nervosa Treatment Tips |
| disorder restrict their intake to fewer | | | | 1. Nutritional therapy. A dietitian |
| than 1,000 calories per day. Most avoid | | | | offers guidance on following a healthy |
| fattening, high-calorie foods and | | | | diet. |
| eliminate meats. The diet of persons | | | | 2. Group therapy is often advised so |
| with anorexia nervosa may consist almost | | | | people can share their experiences with |
| completely of low-calorie vegetables | | | | others. |
| like lettuce and carrots, or popcorn. | | | | 3. Family therapy is important |
| Persons with anorexia nervosa develop | | | | particularly if the individual is living |
| strange eating habits such as cutting | | | | at home and is a young adolescent. |
| their food into tiny pieces, refusing to | | | | 4. Medications-antidepressants or other |
| eat in front of others, or fixing | | | | psychiatric medications can help treat |
| elaborate meals for others that they | | | | accompanying mental disorders, such as |
| themselves don't eat. Food and weight | | | | depression or anxiety. |
| become obsessions as people with this | | | | 5. Nutritional therapy-A dietitian |
| disorder constantly think about their | | | | offers guidance on following a healthy |
| next encounter with food. Dieting. | | | | diet. |