Eating Disorders

We have all heard the typical stereotypes of the "perfect body." Who really has a perfect body anyways, and what does it look like? Are all girls supposed to be tiny and twig like, and are all guys supposed to be macho muscle men? No, and if this were true then that's how we would have been created, but were not, so be proud of who you are. Thanks to media and today's culture people are destroying their bodies. We cannot put all the blame on the media though, psychological and mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, guilt, the loss of control, and the need for attention, are among some of the factors that can lead to eating disorders. The three disorders commonly referred to are obesity, anorexia, and bulimia. Each disorder is dangerous to the body, and in many cases can lead to death. Eating disorders affect 70 million people worldwide, and in a single persons life approximately 50,000 people will die because of this terrifying disease.

Obesity is the increase in body weight caused by excessive accumulation of fat. It can be caused by many factors including the ingestion of excessive calories, inactivity, and insufficient exercise. Overeating may also result as a pattern established by family and cultural environments, leading to an emotional dependence on food. Some experts, however, may say that obesity is based upon genetics and physiology, rather than a behavioral or psychological problem. There are many myths regarding obesity, for instance, those who are obese eat more than the non obese. A study in 1979 proved that 19 out of 20 obese individuals eat the same amount as the non obese. People believe that obese individuals are emotionally disturbed, but although they deal with immense social pressures, they do not posses more or less emotions then others. Body fat is said to be unhealthy but in actuality some body fat is beneficial. Another myth is that the obese are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. This is true with yoyo diets which cause weight to fluctuate throughout adult life. It is thought that obese people are lazy and unfit, but many do exercise and live longer than those who are thin, unfit, and do not exercise. Everyone gets "fat" with old age. Weight increases with age because people become less active, metabolism slows, and you loose muscle mass. Obesity is not untreatable; radical treatments include shutting the jaw, stapling the stomach, and intestinal bypass operations. More traditional treatments include a diet limiting fat calories, exercise, emotional support, and support programs including over eaters anonymous.

On the opposite end of obesity is anorexia, a disease which causes people to become severely skinny. It is an illness that usually occurs in teenage girls. People with anorexia are obsessed with being thin. They lose drastic amounts of weight, and are terrified of gaining the weight back. They will continue to believe they are fat even though they are extremely thin. Anorexia is not just a problem with food and weight; it's an attempt to use food and weight to deal with emotional problems. Most anorexic people are depressed and unhappy with their weight. People with anorexia have side effects of dry skin, thin hair, and tend to feel cold all the time. The difference between anorexia, and another known eating disorder bulimia, is that people with anorexia starve themselves. They avoid high-calorie foods and exercise constantly. People with bulimia eat huge amounts of food, but they throw up soon after eating. People with anorexia think that there is not anything wrong with them. If you know someone who is anorexic the most important thing you can do to help