Eating Disorders/Body Image - Exam 4

Question 1

Eating Disorder definition

Answer 1

a persistent disturbance of eating or eating-related behaviors that results in altered consumption or absorption of food

** have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness

Question 2

Background Info of Eating Disorders and College Students

Answer 2

• 95% of people with eating disorders are 12-26 years old
• 91% of women on college campuses reported attempting to control their weight through dieting
• 58% (of college women) felt pressure to be a certain weight, 83% dieted for weight loss, 44% of the 83% were “normal” weight
• over 50% of teen girls use unhealthy weight control behaviors (fasting, vomiting, smoking/vaping, etc.)

Question 3

Scale for Body Image Assessment?

Answer 3

Numbered scale with images like in lab 4

Question 4

Trends on the body image scale

Answer 4

• large spacing between markers for women who score a “high” measure of distorted eating behaviors
• small spacing between the markers for women who score a “low” measure of distorted eating behaviors
• 30% of women choose an ideal body shape that is 20% underweight (on avg)
• 44% of women choose an ideal body shape that is 10% underweight

Question 5

The Types of Causes/Origins of EDs

Answer 5

• (bio)logical
• (psych)ological factors
• social/sociocultural

Question 6

Bio Causes Explained

Answer 6

EDs are thought to have a large genetic component

• 50-80% heritability
• 56% concordance rate for identical twins and 5% for fraternal

Question 7

Psychological Causes Explained

Answer 7

Anorexia is associated with perfection and control as well as family pressures
Bulimia is associated with low self-esteem (35-78% also meet criteria for depression)

Question 8

Social Causes Explained

Answer 8

• girls are pressured to be skinny/beautiful, men are also pressured to be muscular
• media images and societal values place this on people

Question 9

Anorexia Nervosa DSM Criteria

Answer 9

• (severe) restriction of intake leading to significantly low body weight
• intense fear of gaining weight
• disturbance in body image - feeling of being fat even if they are emaciated

Question 10

Anorexia Prevalence

Answer 10

• affects 0.5-1% of U.S. women and girls
• 10:1 woman to man ratio
• 5-20% of people with it will die from complications related to it
• thought to be most prevalent in wealthy, post-industrialized nations (US, western Europe), but there is some debate on that
• same with higher SES

Question 11

Bulimia Establisment

Answer 11

• identified since 1979 with a big research focus in the past 20 years
• vs. anorexia which has been a thing since the middle ages

Question 12

Bulimia Criteria

Answer 12

• recurrent binges
• recurrent compensatory behaviors
• self-esteem unwarrantedly based on weight, size, shape
• NOT anorexic

Question 13

recurrent binges definition

Answer 13

eat large amounts of food (in private), lack of control, can’t stop

Question 14

recurrent compensatory behaviors definition

Answer 14

• purging, fasting, etc

- also vomiting, laxatives, enemas, diuretics, periodic fasting, excessive exercise

Question 15

Bulimia Prevalence

Answer 15

• 1-2% of young adult women
• about 80% of patients are female
• typically begins in adolescence (rare to happen before pubery or after 40 y/0)
• many people appear to be average body weight
• related to Binge Eating Disorder

Question 16

Binge Eating Disorder Definition

Answer 16

classified by bingeing food, not purging

related to Bulimia

Question 17

Treatment of Eating Disorders

Answer 17

multi-disciplinary care
family-based therapy
individual therapy

Question 18

multi-disciplinary care explanation

Answer 18

psychologists and medical professionals work together to limit potential medical complications and help the patient

Question 19

family-based therapy explanation

Answer 19

really important to address the family unit (especially for teens)

Question 20

individual therapy

Answer 20

works to change negative cognition about self-health and how it’s attached to food/eating, looks at underlying causes

Question 21

Ways to Combat Unhealthy Body Image/Food Beliefs

Answer 21

• avoid commenting on the appearance/weight of others
• avoid commenting on the amount someone is eating/not eating
• practice non-judgmental listening
• avoid shaming/blaming yourself/others, instead encourage positive self-talk
• avoid offering simple solutions
• be aware of the media you are consuming and what it perpetuates
• encourage others to/take steps to seek professional help
• work to reduce stigma for mental illness