Lecture 9: Eating Disorders

Question 1

anorexia nervosa

Answer 1

mental disease in which someone purposely eat too little food resulting in body weight that is very low and below that of peers; great fear of gaining weight, repeated effort to prevent weight gain; distorted body perception, inappropriate emphasis on weight or shape when judging oneself, failure to appreciate the serious implications of one’s low weight

Question 2

restricting type anorexia nervosa

Answer 2

lose weight first by cutting out sweets and fattening snacks, then eliminating other food and showing no variability in diet

Question 3

binge-eating/purging type anorexia nervosa

Answer 3

lose weight by vomiting or abusing laxatives, and may engage in eating binges

Question 4

potential psychological problems

Answer 4

depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep disturbances, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive patterns, and perfectionism

Question 5

medical problems due to starvation

Answer 5

amenorrhea (absence of menstrual cycle), lowered body temperature, low blood pressure, body swelling, reduced bone mineral density, slow heart rate, metabolic and electrolyte imbalance, and hair loss. some grow lanugo, downy hairs on the arms, back, and face to keep the body warm

Question 6

bulimia nervosa

Answer 6

repeated episodes of uncontrollable overeating (binges) followed by compensatory behaviors (purges), such as fasting or forcing oneself to vomit. symptoms take place at least weekly for 3 months and there is an inappropriate influence of weight and shape on the appraisal of oneself

Question 7

binge eating episode

Answer 7

episodes of uncontrollable eating during which a person ingests a very large quantity of food in a limited time period. preceded by great tension, relieved by eating. followed by extreme self-blame, shame, guilt, depression and weight gain fear

Question 8

compensatory behavior

Answer 8

vomiting, laxatives or diuretic use, fasting, or exercising excessively . does not completely prevent the absorption of calories consumed in a binge but may temporarily relieve uncomfortable feelings of fullness or self-disgust

Question 9

anorexia vs. bulimia

Answer 9

Question 10

psychodynamic view of the causes of eating disorders

Answer 10

ineffective parenting can lead to ego deficiencies and perceptual disturbances. the child grows up unable to accurately assess internal cues, fails to develop self-reliance and in adolescence, tries to overcome helplessness by seeking excessive control over their body size and, eating habits

Question 11

cognitive behavioral view of the causes of eating disorder

Answer 11

core cognitive distortion: judging oneself exclusively on one’s body shape and weight and on one’s ability to control them

Question 12

depression

Answer 12

many people with EDs have depressive symptoms, which may be a cause or consequence

Question 13

biological view of the causes of eating disorder

Answer 13

genes, brain circuit dysfunctions, and abnormal levels of serotonin, dopamine and glutamate
- malfunctioning part of the hypothalamus that controls food cravings
- lateral hypothalamus (LH) produces hunger, ventromedial hypothalamus (VHM) depresses hunger

Question 14

societal pressures

Answer 14

beauty standards + prejudice

Question 15

family environment (as a cause of ED)

Answer 15

family that emphasise physical appearance, fitness and dieting, enmeshed family patterns (family system in which members are overly involved with each other’s affairs and overly concerned about each other’s welfare)

Question 16

multicultural view of the causes of eating disorder

Answer 16

• racial and ethnic differences: some ethnic groups have a larger prevalence of eating disorders, perhaps because of different cultural standards
• gender differences: about 95% of people with EDs are female

Question 17

treatment of eating disorders

Answer 17

• primary focus: correct dangerous eating patterns, restore weight and normal eating methods
• thereafter: address psychological and situational factors that led to eating disorders

Question 18

treatments for anorexia nervosa

Answer 18

• nutritional rehabilitation with the aim to return to healthy weight within weeks
• family therapy: can be helpful to eliminate troublesome patterns of interaction
• cognitive behavioral interventions: aimed at altering thought processes and behaviors related to food to achieve long lasting changes

Question 19

treatments for bulimia nervosa

Answer 19

• nutritional rehabilitation, combination of therapies aimed at removing the underlying causes of bulimic patterns
• cognitive behavioral therapy
• when cognitive behavioral therapy fails: interpersonal therapy to improve interpersonal functioning or psychodynamic therapy can be applied

Question 20

cognitive behavioral therapy for bulimia nervosa

Answer 20

• cognitive interventions: help to recognize and deal with emotions and situations that trigger binge- episodes, as well as change attitudes toward food, eating, and self-view
• behavioral interventions: exposure and response prevention (required patients to binge and prevent them from compulsive purging)

Question 21

treatments for binge-eating disorder

Answer 21

• similar to those for bulimia nervosa
• aim: reduction or elimination of binge-eating patterns

Question 22

obesity

Answer 22

a medical condition consisting of having an excess of body fat

Question 23

muscle dysmorphia

Answer 23

a body dysmorphia disorder. the person has an obsessive preoccupation with muscle mass, for example, wanting symmetry in the muscles, having a six pack and having a v-shape

Question 24

orthorexia nervosa

Answer 24

the obsessive practice of healthy eating. the person suffering from this disorder suffers from a nutritional deficiency