Benefits with HII

Anorexia Nervosa (Part 1)

Anorexia nervosa, often called anorexia, is a type of eating disorder. Eating disorders are mental health problems that cause extreme and dangerous eating behaviors. These extreme eating behaviors cause other serious health problems and sometimes death. Some eating disorders also involve extreme exercise.

Individuals with anorexia severely limit the amount of food they eat to prevent weight gain. People with anorexia usually have an intense fear of gaining weight and may think they are fat even when they are thin. Women with anorexia may also exercise too much so that they do not gain weight. Over time, eating so little food leads to serious health problems and sometimes death.

What is the difference between anorexia and other eating disorders?

People with eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, have a mental health condition that affects how they eat, and sometimes how they exercise. These eating disorders threaten their health.

Unlike those with bulimia and binge eating disorder, individuals with anorexia do not eat enough to sustain basic bodily functions. People with bulimia and binge eating disorder usually binge (eat too much while feeling out of control).

It is possible to have more than one eating disorder in your lifetime. Regardless of what type of eating disorder you may have, you can get better with treatment.

Who is at risk for anorexia?

Anorexia is more common among girls and women (especially younger women and girls vs. older women) than boys and men. On average, girls develop anorexia at 16 or 17. Teenage girls between 13 and 19 and young women in their early 20s are most at risk. However, women in mid-life and beyond also experience eating disorders. One study found that 13 percent of American women over age 50 had signs of an eating disorder.

What are the symptoms of anorexia?

Anorexia causes physical and psychological changes. A person with anorexia often looks very thin and may not act like themselves. Some other symptoms of anorexia include

• Sadness
• Moodiness
• Confused or slow thinking
• Poor memory or judgment
• Thin, brittle hair and nails
• Feeling cold all the time because of a drop in internal body temperature
• Feeling faint, dizzy, or weak
• Feeling tired or sluggish
• Irregular periods or never getting a period for a female
• Dry, blotchy, or yellow skin
• Growth of fine hair all over the body (called lanugo)
• Severe constipation or bloating
• Weak muscles or swollen joints

Individuals with anorexia may also have behavior changes, such as

• Talking about weight or food all the time
• Not eating or eating very little
• Refusing to eat in front of others
• Not wanting to go out with friends
• Making themselves throw up
• Taking laxatives or diet pills
• Exercising a lot

People with anorexia may also have other mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, or problems with substance use.

What causes anorexia?

Researchers are not sure exactly what causes anorexia and other eating disorders; they are finding that a complex combination of genetic, biological, behavioral, psychological, and social factors may be the cause. This combination includes having specific genes, a person's biology, body image and self-esteem, social experiences, family health history, and sometimes other mental health illnesses. Researchers are also studying unusual activity in the brain, such as changing levels of serotonin or other chemicals, to see how it may affect eating.

Researchers are also studying unusual activity in the brain, such as changing levels of serotonin or other chemicals, to see how it may affect eating. They're investigating how the structure and function of specific brain regions may contribute to anorexia.

How does anorexia affect a woman's health?

With anorexia, your body doesn't get the energy that it needs from food, so it slows down and stops working normally. Over time, anorexia can affect your body in the following ways:

• Heart problems, including low blood pressure, a slower heart rate, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, and sudden death from heart problems
• Anemia (when your red blood cells do not carry enough oxygen to your body) and other blood problems
• Thinning of the bones (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
• Kidney stones or kidney failure
• Lack of periods, which can cause problems getting pregnant
• During pregnancy, a higher risk for miscarriage, cesarean delivery, or having a baby with low birth weight

Anorexia is a serious illness that can also lead to death. Among women and girls, anorexia is second only to opioid abuse as a leading cause of death due to a serious mental health problem. Many people with anorexia also have other mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety. Long-term studies of 20 years or more show that women who had an eating disorder in the past usually reach and maintain a healthy weight after treatment.