Bulimia Nervosa Research Paper

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating which is the rapid consumption of large quantities of food. Almost 2 percent of women have bulimia at some point in their lifetime (Hudson, Hiripi, et al., 2007). Bulimia nervosa is increasing dramatically, especially in urban areas. The affects it has on men is increasing as well but it is diagnosed most frequently amongst adolescent girls and young women. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, they estimate that 1.1% to 4.2% of females have bulimia at some point in their lives. Bulimia can affect people of any age from pre-teens to seniors. Once someone has bulimia, they could be at risk of having other eating disorders as well.

People with bulimia nervosa go through different measures to control the weight gain from binge eating. They will fast, do self-induced …show more content…
Self-induced vomiting can cause various parting of the body involved in eating and digesting food. Tooth decay, stomach injury, and acid reflux are all common in people with bulimia nervosa (Ken Duckworth, M.D., and Jacob L. Freedman, M.D., January 2013). Excessive purging behaviors can cause dehydration and can lead to multiple problems including heart failure and even death (Ken Duckworth, M.D., and Jacob L. Freedman, M.D., January 2013). Bulimia can be caused by dieting, stress or uncomfortable emotions such as sadness or anger. Bulimia nervosa often occurs with other psychiatric disorders such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and substance abuse disorders. Certain factors such as culture, family’s life changes, personality and biology can also cause people to have bulimia nervosa. Women in America are