Obesity and Eating Disorders

Question 1

List 4 eating disorders

Answer 1

Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorder
Disordered eating and dieting

Question 2

List 5 risks of anorexia

Answer 2

Anaemia (iron deficiency)
Compromised immune system
Loss or disturbance of menstruation in girls and women
Osteoporosis
Kidney failure

Question 3

What are the key characteristics of Bulimia Nervosa? (5)

Answer 3

Binge eating
Vomiting
Misusing laxatives or diuretics
Fasting then binging
Excessive exercise

Question 4

List 4 key characteristics of Disordered Eating

Answer 4

Fasting or chronic restrained eating
Skipping meals
Unbalanced eating (restricting a major food group e.g. ‘fatty’ foods or carbohydrates)
Laxative, diuretic and enema misuse

Question 5

What is the equation for BMI?

Answer 5

Weight/Height^2

Question 6

List 3 characteristics of fast food linked to increased adiposity

Answer 6

Higher energy density
Greater saturated fat
Reduced complex carbohydrates and fibre

Question 7

Name the 2 hormones that have an influence on energy balance

Answer 7

Leptin

Ghrelin

Question 8

What is the role of leptin?

Answer 8

A mediator of long-term regulation of energy balance
Suppresses food intake = induces weight loss
Produced in white adipose tissue
Inhibits appetite in the hypothalamus

Question 9

How is leptin thought to be linked to some people’s obesity?

Answer 9

Possible that a defective obesity gene causes inadequate leptin production - so brain receives an under assessment of the body’s adipose stores and an urge to eat
Has also been proposed that obesity could be caused by defective receptor action - which increases a person’s resistance to satiety

Question 10

What is leptin’s role in starvation?

Answer 10

Leptin levels fall during starvation

Leptin has an effect on regulating neuroendocrine adaptation to starvation - reduces fertility (lack of menstruation)

Question 11

What is the role of ghrelin?

Answer 11

Fast-acting hormone
Plays a role in meal initiation - stimulates hunger
Produced in stomach and pancreas
Levels increase before meals and decrease after meals

Question 12

List 4 consequences of Obesity Syndrome (Metabolic Syndrome)

Answer 12

Glucose intolerance and insulin resistance leads to Type 2 diabetes
Inflammation and increase in angiotensinogen leads to hypertension/CHD
Increased visceral adipose tissue causes fatty liver disease
Sleep apnoea

Question 13

List 3 things that the pharmacist is responsible for in the care of obese patients

Answer 13

Helping people recognise the problem and the associated risks
Providing information leaflets with regard to healthy eating and exercise
Motivational interviewing to make changes in their lifestyle

Question 14

What is Orlistat?

Answer 14

Taken with meals
Inhibits pancreatic lipase (breaks down triglycerides in ingested fat) and so increases excretion of dietary triglycerides
Prevents approx. 30% of dietary fat from being absorbed
60mg and 27mg chewable = P (Alli)
120mg = POM (Xenical)

Question 15

List 4 benefits of using Orlistat to lose weight

Answer 15

Decreases in:
Visceral fat
Blood pressure
LDL cholesterol
Increase in insulin action