An eating disorder is a condition where a person has an abnormal habit of either eating too little or too much. Eventually, this disorder leads to degradation of the person's body and mental functions. People with disorders are dispersed throughout the globe but there is a higher number of them in the Western world. It is also commonly found among men and women but women have greater risks than men.
Every person has a reason to develop a bad eating habit. It could be a medical condition, or it could be because of deeply rooted personal reasons such as depression. An example of a medical condition that leads to an eating disorder is ADHD. Studies show that those who have ADHD have higher chances of developing an eating disorder in later life.
Foster children, especially girls, also show that they are more likely to develop bulimia nervosa than those who grew up with their real parents. Social media also has an influence on how a person's eating habit is formed. The media portrays ideal body types such as women with small waist and skinny legs. Due to this, many people succumb to this pressure and lead to a downward path to an eating disorder.
Research also shows that genetics can influence this disease. In any case, an eating disorder is a serious problem that can lead to death if not treated early.
Biological CausesScientists who specialize in genetics found out that there are some people who are naturally predisposed to developing an eating disorder. They call it the Mendelian inheritance. They also claimed that several environmental factors can cause a genetic alteration. The result of this is an eating disorder, which a person did not consciously want.
Scientists also found out that a body's inability regularly manufacture hormones, neurotransmitters, and neuropeptides can cause an eating disorder. An elevated level of amino acids is found in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Studies also show that lesions in the brain, specifically on the frontal and temporal lobes can lead to an eating disorder. If the part of the brain that controls eating is damaged, such as by a tumor or calcification, the person is likely to suffer from an eating disorder.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) classified an eating disorder as Axis-I. Some are classified as Axis-II. An Axis-I disorder is any psychological disorder except mental retardation. It also excludes personality disorders. Axis-II, however, only includes personality disorders and mental retardation.
Studies never revealed any direct connection between eating disorders and personality disorders but many studies show that people who suffer from an eating disorder may have a pre-existing condition. These conditions include depression, substance abuse, ADHD, OCD, and more.
In some cases, those who develop eating disorders were already suffering from personality disorder such as histrionic personality disorder, manic-depressive disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and others.
Some patients suffered personal problems that caused them to develop an eating disorder. Research found out that many patients who developed eating disorders were victims of sexual abuse, physical punishment, verbal abuse, and a neglectful environment when they were children. Abuse, whether it is physical, mental, emotional, or verbal, can trigger different chemical reactions from the brain, the result of which can lead to an eating disorder.
Social isolation can also degrade a person's well-being and self-esteem. If this happens, a person would tend to see his physical well-being as the source of his being an outcast. In fact, socially isolated individuals have a higher mortality rate than those who are actively engaged with people. An isolated individual is much more prone to stress and anxiety.
Parental pressure is another social cause. Parents tend to pass on their eating habits to their children. And these eating habits can lead to eating disorders. Some parents force their children to eat too much, and this habit sticks until the child grows.
Peer pressure can also contribute to this disorder. Some people look for social acceptance and they resort to purging food to avoid weight. Eventually, this leads to a severe eating disorder, all in an effort to please those around them.
This disorder is the kind where a person eats too little. The patient refuses to eat in a bid to lose weight. People who have anorexia nervosa are extremely underweight and will participate in extreme regimens just to prevent themselves from getting fat. They tend to over exercise and reduce the amount of food intake until they achieve their desired look.
This is somewhat similar to anorexia nervosa in which the person suffering from it does not want to get fat. However, people with bulimia binge eat and force the food out by vomiting. They also over exercise to get rid of unwanted fat from their bodies.
This type of disorder involves individuals who eat a large amount of food in very short intervals. They eat a lot because of an uncontrolled impulse to do so. They eat even if they are not hungry and in many cases, they eat in secret. People who binge eat also feel embarrassed about this habit.
Although it sounds similar to binge eating disorder, it is different in the sense that people who overeat do not do so out of compulsion. It's just that they have an urge to eat too much. They will usually end up being obese but not all the time. Just like people with BED, people who suffer from overeating feel guilty.
Also called NES, this is a kind of disorder where the victim has the urge to binge-eat late at night. The person who named this disorder is Dr. Albert Stunkard. As of the moment, it is not a recognized disorder in the DSM IV, also called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Studies about the disorder were not conclusive but it is reported that this illness affects around 2% of the population.
This disorder fits people who are obsessed with eating healthy food. This is not yet a legitimate medical condition and studies are still ongoing.
EDNOS is comprised of eating disorders related to abnormal eating habits. However, they are different from the previous ones discussed. Based on the DSM IV, these are disorders in which the patient displays weird eating habits not found in the other recognized disorders.