Eating disorders

Question 1

Eating disorders

Answer 1

Eating disorders = a range of serious disorders characterised by disordered eating behaviour

• What starts as a mental health concern, can quickly deteriorate into a physical health concern.
• If left, eating disorders can severely impact upon both short-term and long-term health and wellbeing.
• Eating disorders are most common between the ages of 16–40.

Question 2

types of clinical eating disorder

Answer 2

• Anorexia nervosa.
• Bulimia nervosa.
• Other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED) include:

– Orthorexia.
– Binge eating.
– Night eating syndrome.

Question 3

Causes / risk factors

Answer 3

• environmental factors
• Media focus on physical appearance and body image.
• Academic pressure
• Bullying and abuse.
• Criticism for body shape or eating habits.
• Difficult family relationships.
• Sports where being light is an ideal, such as ballet, gymnastics, ice skating and dancing.
• Genetic factors:

– SNPs influencing metabolism and hormones, e.g., a SNP at rs929626 of the ‘early b-cell factor 1’ (EBF1) gene can dysregulate leptin signalling, and may be involved in anorexia nervosa
– Family history of eating disorders

• Nutritional deficiencies, e.g., zinc and EFAs. Zinc deficiency has been identified as a risk factor in anorexia nervosa, which is often found in childhood / puberty. This can impact appetite regulation
• Prone to depression, anxiety and worry, poor stress resilience and OCD tendencies.
• Perfectionism and need for control is also a common theme. This may stem from dysfunctional nurturing relationships (e.g., maternal relationship).

– Symptoms can start with aiming to achieve what is considered ‘the perfect diet’ and then the control stems from trying to maintain this.