Lesson 16 — Activity 2: Eating Disorders
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Lesson 16 — Activity 2:
Eating Disorders
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In L14 — A1, you learned why people may go on diets. In some extreme cases, dieting leads to eating disorders. In this activity, you will learn about two of these eating disorders.
Eating disorders are very common in North America. Each year, thousands of teens develop eating disorders or problems with weight, eating, or body image.
Eating disorders are more than just going on a diet to lose weight or trying to exercise every day. They are extremes in eating behaviour and ways of thinking about eating. For people with an eating disorder, the diet does not end and it gradually gets more restrictive.
The two most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa (usually called simply "anorexia" and "bulimia").
Anorexia Nervosa
In this disorder, people do not eat enough. This condition is most common in young people, especially young women. Those with anorexia are afraid of gaining weight. No
matter
how thin they are, they see themselves as being fat or overweight. As a result, they ignore normal hunger signals. Most people with this disorder severely restrict their food intake and compulsively exercise to get rid of what they think is "excessive
weight."
Bulimia Nervosa
In this disorder, people eat too much. Then, some people
force
themselves to vomit in order to get rid of the food before they digest it. Others take laxatives to get rid of the food in bowel movements. Bulimia has been called the "binge and purge" disease. This depletes body fluids and nutrients and can
affect heart function. Repeated vomiting also damages the esophagus and breaks down tooth enamel due to the large amounts of
acid
in the vomit.
You can see some of the effects of these eating disorders by clicking below.
With anorexia, the body goes into starvation mode and the lack of nutrition can affect the body in many ways:
- a drop in blood pressure, pulse, and breathing rate
- hair loss and fingernail breakage
- loss of menstrual periods in girls
- lightheadedness and inability to concentrate
- anemia (a condition in which you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body's tissues)
- swollen joints
- brittle bones
With bulimia, constant vomiting and lack of nutrients can cause these problems:
- constant stomach pain
- damage to the stomach and kidneys
- tooth decay (from exposure to stomach acids)
- loss of menstrual periods in girls
- loss of the mineral potassium (this can contribute to heart problems and even death)
Eating disorders can be treated. People with eating disorders can get well and gradually learn to eat properly once again. Eating disorders involve treating both the mind and the body. So medical doctors, mental health professionals, and dietitians
are often involved in a person's treatment and recovery.
Therapy or counselling are very important parts of getting better. Parents and other family members are important in supporting people who have to regain weight that they're afraid
of or to learn to accept the body shape that their culture, genes, and lifestyle allows for.
If you ever want to talk to someone about an eating disorder but are unable or not ready to talk to a parent or close family member, try reaching out to a friend, teacher, school nurse
or counsellor, coach, neighbour, a doctor, or another trusted adult.
If you ever want to talk to someone about an eating disorder but are unable or not ready to talk to a parent or close family member, try reaching out to a friend, teacher, school nurse or counsellor, coach, neighbour, a doctor, or another trusted adult.
Digging Deeper
Click here to learn how you can help a friend who may have an eating disorder. (You may read or listen to the article.)
Self-Check
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