Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder which is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight. Anorexia is way to cope with emotional problems, self-esteem, perfectionism and a need for control in an unhealthy way. A person with anorexia will feel hungry, yet deny that hunger.
People with anorexia tend to be obsessed with food, their weight and their body shape. A person with anorexia will not eat much, and will usually exercise excessively. If anorexia is not treated and continues over an extended period of time a normal body weight, and the person often becomes extremely thin.
Anorexia is considered a chronic condition and many patients never recover completely (even after extensive treatment). It is estimated that about 6 percent to 20 percent of those who have anorexia die of the disease. Anorexia affects approximately 1.2 million Americans. The average age of onset is 17 years, however it can affect other ages as well.
Diagnostic Criteria for Anorexia are:
- Refusal to maintain a body weight that is at or above the minimum normal weight for the age and height range
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight
- Denying the seriousness of having a low body weight, or having a distorted image of appearance or shape
- Women who experience the absence of a period for at least three consecutive menstrual cycles.
Health Complications of Anorexia:
- Death
- Anemia
- Heart problems, such as abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure
- Bone loss, which results in an increased risk of fractures later in life
- In females, absence of a period
- In males, decreased testosterone
- Gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation, bloating or nausea
- Electrolyte abnormalities, such as low blood potassium, sodium and chloride
- Kidney problems
*Anorexia causes a person to be severely malnourished, which can result in every organ in the body sustaining damage ( this includes the brain, heart and kidneys). This damage may not be fully reversible, even when the anorexia is under control.
