Weighty Issues.
In todays society being overweight is
not an acceptable state of being, even in politically correct
circles the stigma that is attached to being overweight
is embedded into society. Fat, lazy, greedy and dumb.
Our children make themselves ill by trying
to emulate media images of the ideal body and society in
general agrees it is a sad situation but nothing changes.
People who view themselves as being obese
or fat are ofen the hardest judges of all. Starting to
be self aware for the most negative reason. Looking inward
often produces such a negative image that weight gain is
inevitable as self confidence decreases and food or binge
eating takes over as a substitute. The cycle starts, lack
of self confidence, more weight issues resulting in a total
lack of confidence, self worth and depression.
In this state the offers of quick fixes,
pills, diets, creams and cures are often grasped like threads
of hope but it is only by addressing the whole problem
and its underlying causes that will result in permanent
solution.
Eating disorders are almost always phycological
unless there are hormonal issues or a medication regime
that can cause weight gain/loss take a look at our questionnaire to
see if you can recognise what could be causing you problems.
Fact File
Overweight;
Obesity is more than a cosmetic problem;
it is a health hazard. Several serious medical conditions
have been linked to obesity, including type 2 diabetes,
heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Obesity
is also linked to higher rates of certain types of
cancer. Obese men are more likely than non-obese men
to die from cancer of the colon, rectum, or prostate.
Obese women are more likely than non-obese women to
die from cancer of the gallbladder, breast, uterus,
cervix, or ovaries.
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Other diseases and health
problems linked to obesity include:
- Gallbladder disease and gallstones.
- Liver disease.
- Osteoarthritis, a disease in which the joints
deteriorate. This is possibly the result of excess
weight on the joints.
- Gout, another disease affecting the joints.
- Pulmonary
(breathing) problems, including sleep apnea
in which a person can stop breathing for
a short time during sleep.
- Reproductive problems
in women, including menstrual irregularities
and infertility.
source |
Health care providers generally agree that
the more obese a person is, the more likely he or she is
to develop health problems.
EATING DISORDER WARNING SIGNS:
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
. Deliberate self-starvation with weight loss
. Intense, persistent fear of gaining weight
. Refusal to eat, except tiny portions
. Continuous dieting
. Excessive facial/body hair because of inadequate protein in the diet
. Compulsive exercise
. Abnormal weight loss
. Sensitive to cold
. Absent or irregular menstruation
. Hair loss
BULIMIA NERVOSA
. Preoccupation with food
. Binge eating, usually in secret
. Vomiting after bingeing
. Abuse of laxatives, diuretics, diet pills
. Denial of hunger or drugs to induce vomiting
. Compulsive exercise
. Swollen salivary glands
. Broken blood vessels in the eyes
PHYSICAL REPERCUSSIONS FROM ONE OR BOTH DISEASES
. Malnutrition Intestinal ulcers
. Dehydration
. Ruptured stomach
. Serious heart, kidney, and liver damage
. Tooth/gum erosion
. Tears of the esophagus
PSYCHOLOGICAL REPERCUSSIONS FROM BOTH DISEASES
. Depression
. Low self-esteem
. Shame and guilt
. Impaired family and social relationships
. Mood swings
. Perfectionism
. 'All or nothing' thinking
WHO IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING AN EATING DISORDER:
Everyone! In every race, culture, age group, and
sex there are people with eating disorders. The
groups though to be at greater risk are mentioned here.
Females: Because of the increased number of media images portraying
'thin and perfect' models, many girls struggle with body
image issues that potentially result in eating disorders.
Youth: Early adolescence to early adulthood with 11 and
17 identified as times for increased vulnerability. Perhaps
they represent time of change. The 11 year old may be experiencing
changes in her body hormonally as she becomes ready to
get her periods. Often there is increase in fat in 'all
the wrong places' creating anxiety. Perhaps it is even
more difficult when the school, in a well meaning attempt
to have children be healthy, measure body fat. Of course,
there is always the issues of boys and what culture tells
about having an attractive body. Just when we start adolescence
all the other issues are of growing up are about to blossom.
For the young lady ready to leave for college there constitutes
a whole other area of stress.
The onset of eating disorders can occur at any age and
the age of onset does appear to be getting younger.
Eating disorders can occur at any time and certainly reports
of adult onset and individuals at 70 years of age have
been reported.
Males: Increasing we are becoming more aware of eating
disorders in males. For adults approximately 1:10 are male.
About 20-30% of younger anorexics are male. We probably
are not identifying the disorder because of the stereotyping
that this is a female illness. There are probably as many
bulimic men than there are anorexic women.
Athletes: Women participating in certain sports such as
gymnastics and distance running are especially vulnerable.
Men involved in wrestling are often at risk as they attempt
to make weight.
Genetics: families who have a history of eating disorders
Evidence is pointing to the fact that there is a strong genetic component to
the illness.
ANNAD
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
(USA site)
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