Eating and Food Disorders

Warm-Up

• Discuss personal eating habits:

  • Do you eat a healthy diet?

  • How do you track your eating habits?

  • Average number of meals per day?

  • What triggers your eating (hunger cues)?

Historical Events on This Day

• October 30: Orson Welles broadcasts "War of the Worlds" in 1938, causing panic.

• October 31: Martin Luther posts his 95 theses in 1517, marking the start of the Protestant Reformation.

Eating and Food-Related Disorders

• Cues Influencing Eating Behavior:

  • Time of day, sensory cues (sight & smell), social settings, societal pressures (e.g., "clean your plate").

  • These can lead to unnecessary eating and contribute to weight issues.

Hunger Cues

• Internal signals indicating the need for nutrients:

  • Stomach contractions.

  • Fluctuating glucose levels (increases after meals, decreases over time).

External vs. Internal Cues

• External cues include environmental factors influencing eating.

• Internal cues are bodily signals indicating hunger.

Tips for Staying Full

• Protein: Reduces hunger hormone ghrelin; increases peptide YY which signals fullness.

• Fiber: Slower breakdown contributes to sustained fullness.

• Energy Density: Understanding calories per volume (higher density might not fill you as much).

• Hedonic Factor: Enjoyment and satisfaction derived from food contributes to fullness.

Caloric Intake Guidelines

• Snacks: Aim for 150-250 calories.

• Dinner: Average of 500-700 calories.

• Caloric References:

  • Big Mac: 590 calories

  • Large Fry: 480 calories

  • Big Breakfast with Hotcakes: 1340 calories

  • Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo: 1570 calories

Serving Sizes and Calories

• Examples:

  • Takis: 12 pieces for 180 calories.

  • Hot Cheetos: 21 pieces for 170 calories.

  • Arizona Ice Tea: 12 oz for 150 calories.

  • Ramen: Half pack: 190 calories, full pack: 380 calories.

Facts About Food Hunger and Weight

• Longest recorded fast: 382 days (weight loss from 455 lbs to 179 lbs).

• Understanding Obesity: Related to Body Mass Index (BMI), a body weight to height ratio.

Caloric Burn Estimates

• Caloric burn examples for various activities over 30 minutes:

  • Walking at 4.5 mph: 125 lbs (150 cal), 155 lbs (186 cal), 185 lbs (222 cal).

  • Cleaning gutters: 150 lbs (150 cal), 155 lbs (186 cal), 185 lbs (222 cal).

  • Mowing the lawn: 135 lbs (135 cal), 155 lbs (167 cal), 185 lbs (200 cal).

  • Cooking: 125 lbs (75 cal), 155 lbs (93 cal), 185 lbs (111 cal).

Myths vs. Truth About Eating Disorders

Myth: Eating disorders are just about wanting to be skinny.

• Truth: Eating disorders stem from a range of psychological conditions that can lead to unhealthy eating patterns, often starting with issues related to food, weight, or self-control.

Myth: You can tell if someone has an eating disorder by looking at their body.

• Truth: Individuals with eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Physical appearance is not a reliable indicator of mental health status.

Development of Eating Disorders

• Factors contributing to eating disorders:

  • Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

  • Often a struggle for control or an escape mechanism.

Statistics and Prevalence of Eating Disorders

• Less than 6% diagnosed as underweight.

• Approximately 3% of teenagers and 4% of adults affected, with many untreated.

• Among the deadliest mental illnesses, second only to opioid overdose.

Signs of Eating Disorders

• Preoccupation with food, calories, dieting.

• Discomfort eating around others.

• Frequent body checks in mirrors for perceived flaws.

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia

• Characterized by low body weight, intense fear of weight gain, and distorted body image.

• Severe restriction of food intake.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

• Excessive eating episodes triggered by stress or negative emotions.

Bulimia

• Binge eating followed by purging (vomiting or laxatives) to eliminate food.