Symptoms and Features

Question 1

What are the physical symptoms of anorexia?

Answer 1

• Extreme weight loss
• thin appearence
• insomnia
• fatigue

Question 2

What are the behavioural symptoms of anorexia?

Answer 2

• saying they have eaten earlier or will eat later
• eating very slowly
• hiding food
• avoid eating

Question 3

What are the emotional symptoms of anorexia?

Answer 3

• fear of weight gain
• low self esteem
• depression

Question 4

What are the cognitive symptoms of anorexia?

Answer 4

• excessive focus on body weight
• distorted perception of body weight
• difficulty concentrating
• setting very high standards for themselves

Question 5

What are some possible health complications

Answer 5

• problems with muscles and bones
• fertility problems
• loss of sex drive
• problems with heart and blood vessels
• problems with brains and nerves
• kidney or bowel problems

Question 6

FEATURES - prevalence

Answer 6

• 40 in 100,00 10-14 year olds diagnosed with eating disorders
• approx 90-95% of those are females
• in 2007, 6.4% of adults displayed signs of an eating disorder.

Question 7

FEATURES - Onsets

Answer 7

• most eating disorders develop during adolescence, some eating disorders develop in children
• Research suggests that individuals who have family members with ED’s are more likely to develop ED’s that themselves compared to those who have no family of history illness

Question 8

FEATURES - prognosis

Answer 8

• Eating disorders have the highest morality rate among psychiatric diganoses
  1/20 patients who are treated for AN are likely to die from the illness
• Between 20 and 43% of those with AN report current suicidal ideation
• Patients with AN are also two to nine times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers