Up to 35 million individuals in the United States of America suffer from some form of eating disorder, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (CQ 121). Anorexia is one such eating disorder. “Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness” (CQ 121). Bulimia is another major eating disorder that can have dangerous consequences if left untreated. Due to our society’s obsession with being thin, the illnesses of anorexia and bulimia have skyrocketed.
According to the National Library of Medicine, anorexia can be defined as “an eating disorder that makes people lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height”.
The website also states that a person with anorexia can be described as ”intensely fearful of weight gain”, even to the point where they will try to constantly lose and not gain any weight. Contrary to the stereotype that anorexia only affects rich white girls, anorexia can affect anyone regardless of socio-economic standing, race, or gender (CQ 121). In recent years some children between the ages of 8 and 12 have even been diagnosed with this and other similar …show more content…
”People with bulimia may secretly binge — eating large amounts of food — and then purge, trying to get rid of the extra calories in an unhealthy way” (MayoClinic 1). Bulimia has some similarities to anorexia but is not the same as “many people who have bulimia also have Anorexia”( NIH.NLM 1) . Bulimia, like anorexia, is very destructive to the body given time. Some possible effects of bulimia include dehydration, hemorrhoids, and eventually death due to esophagus tearing due to acid damage in the throat due from vomiting (NIH.NLM 2-3). But why is bulimia so prevalent in young women in our culture? While it is not known what causes bulimia, bulimia almost certainly has multiple causes (NIH.NLM). Some of these causes may include genetic, society, or cultural factors (
According to the National Library of Medicine, anorexia can be defined as “an eating disorder that makes people lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height”.
The website also states that a person with anorexia can be described as ”intensely fearful of weight gain”, even to the point where they will try to constantly lose and not gain any weight. Contrary to the stereotype that anorexia only affects rich white girls, anorexia can affect anyone regardless of socio-economic standing, race, or gender (CQ 121). In recent years some children between the ages of 8 and 12 have even been diagnosed with this and other similar …show more content…
”People with bulimia may secretly binge — eating large amounts of food — and then purge, trying to get rid of the extra calories in an unhealthy way” (MayoClinic 1). Bulimia has some similarities to anorexia but is not the same as “many people who have bulimia also have Anorexia”( NIH.NLM 1) . Bulimia, like anorexia, is very destructive to the body given time. Some possible effects of bulimia include dehydration, hemorrhoids, and eventually death due to esophagus tearing due to acid damage in the throat due from vomiting (NIH.NLM 2-3). But why is bulimia so prevalent in young women in our culture? While it is not known what causes bulimia, bulimia almost certainly has multiple causes (NIH.NLM). Some of these causes may include genetic, society, or cultural factors (