Eating Disorder Research Paper

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Eating Disorders and Mortality Jones 1 Introduction We live in a world that is conscious of our body images and that urges us (especially women) to try to improve our appearance for the approval of society. Eating disorders are defined by the cognitive and behavioral characteristics (Vervaet el al. 2003). There are three main types of eating disorders, they are anorexia nervosa, bulimic-type anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is characterized or diagnosed, by an intense fear of fatness. Anorexics maintain a weight that is less than 85% of average weight for one's age and height. They have disturbed perception of one's body or shape, and amenorrhea for a minimum of three consecutive menstrual cycles. They…show more content…
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by reoccurring episodes of binging and purging to prevent weight gain. However, they are unable to keep their weight below the 85% cut off and do not display amenorrhea (Polivy and Herman, 2002). Binge eating is where one eats a larger amount of food than most would in that given situation and a feeling of lack of control during this eating episode. Purging is where one expels the food they have consumed through induced vomiting, laxative use, diuretic (commonly known as a water pill), or enema abuse. According to Polivy and Herman (2002) there is a subdivision in bulimia nervosa that there is the purging type and the non-purging type; the non-purging type includes fasting or exercising. Eating disorders that do not meet the criteria to be a specific eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are characterized as disordered…show more content…
There may be issues that contribute to the disorders that vary from culture to culture. These issues include geography, ethnicity or language that include body image; weight concern and the fear of fatness, family structure and environment, psychological control, and body composition (Erguner-Tekinalp and Gillespie, 2010). Shame and guilt are another possible cause of eating disorders, in Burney and Irwin’s (2000) article they state that they found a correlation between shame and guilt and self-esteem issues. With self-esteem issues arises the body composition part that Erguner-Tekinalp and Gillespie

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