Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders 

• Basal Metabolism Rate 

  • The minimal amount of energy one uses when resting 

• Obesity 

  • The most common eating disorder among adolescence 

• Disordered Eating 

  • Patterns of eating attitudes and behaviors that are unhealthy 

• Deviation from the ideal physique can lead to loss of self-esteem and other problems in the adolescent’s self image 

• Studies of magazines, 1970 to 1990 

  • Ideal body shape became slimmer 

  • Ideal body shape became less curvaceous 

• Adolescents with these eating disorders have an extremely disturbed body image 

• Bulimia 

  • Starve themselves to keep weight down 

• Anorexia 

  • Starve themselves to keep weight down 

  • Fewer than ½ of 1% of adolescents 

• Theoretical Perspectives 

Physical Health and Health Care in Adolescence 

• One of the healthiest periods of the lifespan 

• Threat to health: Psychosocial Causes (not natural causes) 

• Reducing health compromising behaviors 

• Increasing health enhancing behaviors – especially among poor & minority populations

• Increasing access to healthcare among the poor, very important goal