Eating disorders Flashcards
1
Q
classifications of eating disorders ?
A
- anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge eating disorder
- avoidant restrictive food intake disorder
- other specified feeding and eating disorder
2
Q
anorexia nervosa
A
- self imposed weight loss of 15% body weight
- intense fear of weight gain even when underweight
- a feeling of being too fat even when thin - body image distortion
3
Q
bulimia nervosa
A
- recurrent episodes of binge eating i.e large amount of food and loss of control while eating
- recurrent compensatory weight loss behaviour (e.g vomitting, laxative use/ over-exercise
- binging and behaviours for 1 week in 3 months
- self evaluation unduly influenced by body shape and weight
- not in context of criteria for AN i.e low weight
4
Q
avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
A
- an eating/ feeding disturbance with significant weight loss
- significant dietary deficiency
- dependence on enteral feeding/ oral supplements
- marked interfence with psychosocial functioning
- no evidence of weight/ shape concerns
5
Q
what are the 3 profiles of avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)?
A
- low interest
- sensory
- fear
6
Q
presentation of ARFID ?
A
- negative sensory reaction to food e.g taste, texture, smell
- fear of eating after a negative experience such as vomiting or choking
- little appetite or interest in food/eating
- people often report ‘always been picky eater’
7
Q
epidemiology of ARFID ?
A
- typically previously seen in children and adolescents, but now recognized in adults- either: previously misdiagnosed as AN? more common now? or both
- boys > girls but women > men
- unknown prevalence as yet but one study showed 6-13% in specialist services
- higher risk of ARFID with: autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, anxiety disorders, OCD
8
Q
demographics - anorexia nervosa
A
- AN prevalence 0.5-1%
- AN typically begins in teenage years
- higher prevalence middle/upper classes (? more likely to seek help/ or higher focus on success/ perfectionism)
- ‘westernized disease’, higher rates in models, ballet dancers, athletes, military,
9
Q
demographics - Bulimia Nervosa, Binge eating disorder
A
- Bulimia nervosa
- prevalence: 1-3%
- onset late teens/20s
- higher incidence sport/body conscious activities - Binge eating disorder
- prevalence: 3%
- onset usually older - 30s/40s/50s
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10
Q
why do people get eating disorders?
A
- genetics
- personality type: e.g obsessive-compulsive, perfectionistic, impulsive
- weight loss rewarded by feelings of control, positive feedback from others, media, role models
- family influence: poor conflict resolution, person feels misunderstood, or unheard in family, abuse
11
Q
why do people get eating disorders? (relationship to anxiety)
A
- eating disorder behaviours reduce anxiety partly by numbing of feelings. these effects are mediated via certain chemicals including adrenaline, enorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and ketones
- examples include:
1. the adrenaline rush of starvation - feeling light headed, ‘high’
- binging on high sugar/ high carb foods - pleasurable/ anxiety reducing or brain numbing
- vomitting relieves the anxiety of feeling full, and the physical effort causes tiredness/ sleepiness
12
Q
physical consequence of Eating disorder
A
- anorexia nervosa has highest mortality and physical morbidity of any psychiatric disorder
- up to 10% mortality with anorexia at 10 years from;
1. starvation
2. secondary physical complications
3. suicide - bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder also have higher mortality than normal - e.g metabolic effects and weight
13
Q
potential consequence of anorexia nervosa ?
A
- brain
- preoccupation with food/ calories, fear of gaining weight, headaches, fainting, dizziness, mood swinges, anxiety, depression - hair/skin
- dry skin and lips, brittle nails, thin hair, bruises easily, yellow complexion, growth of thin white hair over body (lanugo), intolerance to cold - heart
- poor circulation, irregular or slow heart beat, very low BP, cardiac arrest, heart failure - blood
- anemia - intestines
- constipation, diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain - hormones
- irregular or absent periods
- loss of libido
- infertility - kidneys
- dehydration
- kidney failure - bones
- osteopenia and osteoporosis - muscles
- muscle loss, weakness, fatigue
14
Q
Eating disorder symptoms (primary symptoms, psychiatric/ psychological, Social, Physical
A
- primary symptoms
- restricted diet (check amount of food, carbs and fats)
- lack of interest in food/ dislike of taste, smell texture
- vomitting, laxative abuse, diet pills, over exercising, fluid excess to assuage hunger = compensatory weight loss behaviours
- binging
- body image distortion - psychiatric/ psychological
- self punishments/ deliberate self harm/ suicidality (often in response to self critical internal voice
- mood - can be low
- perfectionist personality/ OCD symptoms or traits - Social
- drug and alcohol abuse
- social and vocational - physical
- cessation of menses
- chest pain or palpitations
- sensitivity to cold/ purple extremities
- fatigue/ weakness / dizziness
- stomach complaints
15
Q
treatment pathways Eating disorders - diagnosis not clear
A
- if your assessment is that the patient may have an ED, or the diagnosis is unclear - it is always appropriate to;
1. investigate possible physical causes for symptoms e.g peptic ulcer disease/ malabsorption/ celiac disease - request return visit to re-assess (weight/ symptoms)