Eating Disorders Flashcards
Anorexia Nervosa
- Subsisting on little or no food for long periods of time, resulting in low body weight
- High mortality rate - 6% per decade
- Linked to problems with heart, liver, bone density, electrolytes gastro
- Usually don’t recognize they are under weight
- Fear of gaining weight and losing control
Prevalence of anorexia nervosa
- 0.6% lifetime in western countries
- 75% of cases are in girls and women
- peak age 14-20
- higher rates in trans and non-binary
How is anorexia nervosa different for men and boys
Ideal body type is muscular and leaner
Types of anorexia nervosa
Restricting type
- Using dieting, fasting, and/or excessive exercise
Binge/purge types
- Engage in binge eating and purging
- Could include misuse of laxatives
- binging is not usually large amount of food
Symptoms of anorexia nervosa
Food preoccupation
- Spend lot of time thinking and planning mood
Distortions in Thought
- Think they are bigger than they are
Research in Body image
Participants view a photo of themselves through adjustable lens
- can adjust to be 20% smaller or larger than actual proportions
Over 50% of participants with anorexia overestimate their body size
Bulimia Nervosa
- Bingeing followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviours to prevent weight gain
- 1 to 14 times per week
- Body distortions are not as pronounced as AN
Binge
Large amount of food consumed in a discrete period of time
- Feeling of little to no control over eating
- Feeling compelled to eat even when not hungry
Prevalence of Bulimia Nervosa
1% lifetime prevalence
Differences between bulimia nervosa and anorexia
Compared to those with anorexia:
- History of mood swings, strong emotions
- Trouble coping, controlling impulses
- Dental problems
- More concerned about: Pleasing others, being attractive to others, experiencing intimacy
Binge-Eating Disorder
- Binge eating without compensatory behaviors
- Generally associated with obesity
- Higher risk for those living with food insecurity
- Binges not driven by desire for thinness
Prevalence of binge-eating
2-3.5% lifetime prevalence in USA
Biological Approach for theories of eating disorders
HERITABILITY
- 48-74% for AN
- 23% for bulimia
- 41% for BED
Structural or functional problems in hypothalamus
AN - enhanced dopamine activation in response to weight loss
Bulimia - deficiency in serotonin may lead to carbohydrate cravings
Psychosocial Contributors to theories of eating disorders
Social media usage linked to:
- body image concerns
- low self-esteem
- dieting and disordered eating
Involvement in certain sports
Family dysfunction, poor communication inappropriate boundaries
Internalizing ‘thin ideal’
Stice, maxfield & wells (2003) body satisfaction study
A thin, attractive 19-year-old women approached college women and spoke about:
- Pressure Condition: Dissatisfaction with weight, extreme exercise regime and restrictive diet
- Neutral Condition: Classes and plans for the weekend
FINDINGS: women in the pressure condition significantly more dissatisfied with their own bodies
Cognitive approach to theories of eating disorders
- Perfectionism (black and white thinking)
- Low self-esteem
- Concern with others’ opinions
- Judge themselves based solely on weight and shape
- Implicit concern about body size
Viken et al. bulimic women and body size
- Women with and without bulimic symptoms
- Shown photos of women who varied in body size or facial expression
- Women with bulimic symptoms were more likely to attend to info about body size and classsify photos based on body size
Emotion approach to theories of eating disorders
Maladaptive strategies of dealing with painful emotions
2 subtypes of binge eating
Dieting subtype and depressive subtype
Dieting subtype of binge eating disorder
- Concern about body shape and size
- Attempt to maintain a strict diet but give in to binge eating
Depressive subtype to binge eating
- Concern about body shape and size
- Eating to deal with feelings of depression and low self-esteem
- More social and psychological consequences
- Less likely to respond well to treatment
- 80% develop MDD over 8 years
- 43% develop eating disorder
