Facts About Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is a condition characterized by an obsession with body weight, resulting in unhealthy eating practices that can cause harm to the well-being of the person. There are several facts about eating disorders that you should be familiar with, and knowing more about these conditions will allow you to recognize the signs in others that are close to you.

What is an Eating Disorder?

Often an eating disorder begins as a small goal to lose a few pounds, but the facts about eating disorders show that the behavior can become out of control in some people. For example, someone may start out with a goal to lose 10 pounds, but their obsession over food and exercise is so strong that they are unable to stop after the 10 pounds has been lost. Even if they learn the facts about eating disorders, they will be in denial about their condition.

Once you understand the facts about eating disorders, you will see that they are actually mental illnesses, which means that specific medical treatment is needed in order to help the person return to healthier eating habits.

Types of Eating Disorders

The facts about eating disorders show that there are two main types of disorders: anorexia and bulimia.

• Anorexia Nervosa: Anorexia is characterized by a strict decrease in caloric intake, because the person is afraid of gaining weight when they eat. When a person is suffering from anorexia, they may obsess over the fat content in their food or strictly count calories in order to have full control over what they are eating. These people often have a false view of their body weight, even when they are told about the fact about eating disorders. They believe that they are fat, even when they are underweight. Many times, anorexics also exercise too much, or use other methods to lose weight such as the use of laxatives or diet pills.
• Bulimia Nervosa: When a person has bulimia, the facts about eating disorders show that they typically have two stages to their eating habits. First, they binge on large amounts of food, followed by using laxatives or throwing up to quickly remove the food from their body. This behavior generally goes in phases, sometimes they will not eat because of the fear or weight gain, and then the binge will begin and they will throw everything up. It can be harder to identify a bulimic person, because they are generally close to the normal weight for their age and they often hide their unhealthy habits.

Understanding the facts about eating disorders can help you to see how dangerous they can be. When a person participates in these unhealthy habits, they are damaging their body in many ways. Eating disorders can lead to serious health complications if left untreated, so the condition should be taken care of as soon as possible. A doctor can help with the treatment process, because they are very familiar with the facts about eating disorders.

It is common for a person with an eating disorder to refuse treatment, because they don’t believe that they have a problem. Even when you explain the facts about eating disorders, they may still be in denial. These situations may merit an intervention if their condition is serious.