As the concern for eating disorders in America grows, the media’s negative influence is becoming increasingly obvious. From models on the runway, to actresses in the television, young girls are surrounded with messages about the ideal body. The media equates beauty to thinness, which can lower adolescents girls’ self esteem. As girls compare themselves to their idols, they begin to believe that they are not good enough and feel as though they must lose weight. The lack of self of esteem and the drive for thinness may lead to the development of an eating disorder, such as Anorexia. Young girls must be made aware of both the effects and the possible prevention of anorexia, even though they are continuously exposed to the media, which can contribute…
A debilitating and overbearing disease affecting the mind and the body, anorexia nervosa is a psychological disorder that is blind to gender, race, and age. However, certain characteristics in the genetic makeup of an individual have led researchers to believe there are biological cofactors that have a significant impact in the onset and development of anorexia and other related eating disorders. Therefore, through an analysis of intrinsic biology as well as external developmental influence, we…
The Predictors, Prevention and Intervention of Anorexia Anorexia is an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat. It is also characterized as a medical condition where a person experiences a loss or lack of appetite. This can result in irreversible health complications, including death. Anorexia is extremely physiological. Psychological factors that can contribute to eating disorders include low self-esteem, feelings of not being enough or lack of…
Anorexia nervosa disorder Anorexia nervosa (also known as anorexia or anorexic) is an eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a disorder categorized by abnormal patterns of eating behavior and disturbances in attitudes and perceptions toward weight and shape. Anorexia Nervosa is one of the most universally known and yet least recognized eating disorders. By definition, anorexia is an extreme fear of weight gain regardless of increasing emaciation. Anorexia nervosa, however, is quite severe.…
Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are severe eating disorders struggled by many individuals today. Anorexia nervosa is a condition of the intense fear to gain weight, which results in consistent lack of eating. Bulimia nervosa, involves frequent episodes of binge eating followed by throwing up due to fear of gaining weight. The mortality rate for anorexia is the highest of all mental disorders, yet the genetic factors relating to it were once ignored. It is easy to think that anorexia and…
The Causes of Anorexia The cult of thinness, or the mass obsession with being thin, has a big impact on women around the globe. Often times this obsession leads to the development of an eating disorder. Anorexia Nervosa, most commonly known as just anorexia, is one of the most common eating disorders as a result of this cult. Anorexia is characterized by the persons inability to maintain a normal body weight; often times the person refuses to eat, and has a distorted perception of their…
Anorexia is defined as an unhealthy eating behaviour in which one does to change or maintain their body weight (Filaire et al., 2007; Holm-Denoma et al., 2009). In which it involves behaviors such as making themselves vomit, restricting their calorie intake, as well as the use of laxatives to cause weight loss. (Torstveit et al., 2008; Fortes & Ferreira, 2011). It is suggested that within sport, female athletes are more likely to be affected by eating disorders than that of men due to…
and body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. Body dissatisfaction and desire to be thinner represent two possible motives of a person who is at the beginning stages of Anorexia Nervosa in that one’s dissatisfaction with his or her body image may push them to begin to diet and exercise more. However, the media’s constant depiction of the need to lose more weight and to be thinner causes them to develop a distorted view of reality resulting in their dieting and exercise habits to spiral to…
When thinking about deadly diseases, cancer is probably the first thing that comes to mind; however, eating disorders are very serious and harmful to the mental and physical body. Many people would not consider an eating disorder an illness; however, it is very life threatening. There are several types of eating disorders. Anorexia and Bulimia are the two that are most known around the world. Anorexia is a disease that causes self-starvation. Bulimia is a disease where the person will eat as…
These issues are increasing in severity, whether in children or adults, in ways that are difficult, if not impossible to reverse such as eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide. In the article “Keeping Eating Disorders at Bay”, according to Cheryl L. Rock, professor of medicine at University of California, San Diego, “Eating disorders are prevalent in industrialized societies where food is abundant and beauty linked to slenderness. Approximately 1-5% of the U.S. population has…