Eating Disorders and Obesity (Chapter 9)

Anorexia Nervosa

• pursuit of thinness that is relentless and involves behaviours that result in a significantly low body weight

Rats and Starvation

• one study found that rats (especially females) that are hungry had less anxiety

  • staying hungry can be a way to control some type of anxiety

Two Types of Anorexia

• restricting type — every effort is made to limit the quantity of food consumed

• binge-eating/purging type — some restriction but mainly eat a lot and then purge it

Bulimia Nervosa

• uncontrollable binge-eating and effort to prevent resulting weight gain by using inappropriate behaviours

• clinical picture is similar to the binge-eating/purging type of anorexia

Two Types

• purging — use laxitives/throw up to prevent weight gain

• non-purging — increase exercise to prevent weight gain

Clinical Aspects of Eating Disorders

• people with anorexia and bulimia share a common preoccupation with their shape and weight

• during an average binge, someone with bulimia nervosa may consume as many as 4800 calories

  • afterwards they will vomit, fast, exercise excessively, or abuse laxatives

• people with bulimia nervosa are often preoccupied with shame, guilt and self-deprecation, and efforts at concealment

Binge-Eating Disorder

• has some clinical features in common with bulimia nervosa, but people with BED do not engage in inappropriate “compensatory” behaviours

• much less dietary restraint in BED

• associated with being overweight or obese

Age of Onset for Anorexia Nervosa

• 16-20

Age of Onset for Bulimia

• 21-24

Age of Onset for Binge Eating

• 30-60

Gender Differences in Eating Disorders

• recent estimates suggest that there are 3 females for every 1 male with an eating disorder

• on established risk factor for eating disorders in men is homosexuality

Prevalence of Binge Eating Disorder

• most common form of eating disorder

• worldwide lifetime prevalence is around 2.21%

• lifetime prevalence is around 2.7% in females and 17% in males

• prevalence is higher in obese people (6.5 - 8%)

Rates of Anorexia in Sexual Minorities

• 1.71%

Rates of Bulimia Nervosa in Sexual Minorities

• 1.25%

Rates of Binge-Eating in Sexual Minorities

• 2.17%