Unit 11 Flashcards
Disordered Eating
What are some examples of biological risk factors for eating disorders?
- close relative with eating disorder or a mental health condition
- history of dieting
- low energy availability
- type 1 diabetes
What are some psychological risk factors for eating disorders?
- perfectionism
- cognitive inflexibility
- impulsivity
- body image dissatisfaction
- personal history of mental health condition or substance use disorder
What are some social risk factors for eating disorders?
- weight stigma
- teasing/bullying
- limited social networks
- personal experience of trauma
- acculturation
What is acculturation?
those from another culture undergoing rapid westernization
What is the disorder eating spectrum?
healthy body image –> disordered eating –> eating disorder
What is the clinical diagnosis of Anorexia?
- restriction of energy intake leading to significant low bodyweight
- intense fear of gaining weight
- disturbance in body image
What are the 2 types of anorexia? Briefly describe them.
- Restricting type (restrict calories)
- binge eating/purging
What are some features of anorexia?
- individuals typically severely restrict their food intake and may exercise intensely
- some turn to self induced vomiting after eating (or misuse of laxatives, diuretic, or enemas)
- high levels of anxiety
- are often ‘model students’ or ‘ideal children’, but they may experience low self-esteem, social isolation and unhappiness
What are some physical consequences of anorexia?
- anemia (iron defficiency)
- low bone density
- depression
- amenorrhea (no period)
- impaired immune response
sensitivity to cold (due to low body fat %) - soft, thick facial hair, thinning scalp hair
- low blood pressure
- irregular slow heart rate, loss of muscle tissue
How common is anorexia? (for women and men)
Women - 1%
Men - <0.1%
What is the age range of anorexia?
Reported in girls as young as 5 and women through their 40s
How do we treat anorexia?
it takes time and professional help. ongoing therapy is important for continued recovery
Why is treating anorexia so hard?
individuals tend not to believe that their weight needs to be increased
What do treatment programs for anorexia focus on?
- normalizing eating and exercise behaviours
- nutritional health and body weight
- psychological counselling for self-esteem
- attitudes about body weight and shape
- antidepressant or other medications
- family therapy
What is the success rate for treating anorexia?
Complete success 25-50%, partial success in other
What is the clinical diagnosis of bulimia nervosa?
- recurrent episodes of binge eating
- recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviour to prevent weight gain (self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics or other medications, fasting or excessive exercise)
- these behaviours both occur on average at least once a week for 3 months
What characterizes an episode of binge eating?
- eating within any 2 hour period, amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances
- feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating