Do You Ever Feel Like Your Just Not Good Enough?

The most common behavior that will lead to an eating disorder is dieting. (AABA, 1998)

It is estimated that currently 11% of high school students have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. (ANAD)

The diet and diet related industry is over a 50 billion dollar a year enterprise in the U.S. (M. Maine, 2000)

The average woman is 5"4’ and weighs 140 pounds. The average model is 5"11’ and weighs 117 pounds. Most fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women. (Smolak, 1996)

Up to 19% of college aged women in America are bulimic. (Rader Programs)

1 in 5 Girls Exhibit Eating Disorder Behavior:

According to a 2007 national study, the number of young girls developing eating disorders has almost doubled to 18% in the past six years.

Psychological Issues

Genetic Factors

Media & Fashion Influences

Media & Advertising Cultural Pressures Psychological Issues Low Self-Esteem,

and Poor Self-Image Genetic factors Life Transitions Family Problems Peer & Social

Pressure

Preoccupied with food Preoccupied with

weight Distorted body image Poor self-esteem Depression Mood swings Engages in binge

eating Obsessive Exercise Abuse of diet aids Extreme weight loss Engages in purging Nutritional deficiencies Lack of self-control

with food

Psychological characteristics that can make a person more likely to develop anorexia nervosa include: Low self-esteem Feelings of

ineffectiveness Poor body image Depression Difficulty expressing

feelings

Over 60% of girls avoid certain activities because they feel bad about their looks

Examples 19% won’t try out for a team or club 23% won’t go to the beach or the pool 13% won’t give an opinion 15% won’t go to school 92% say the main change they’d have is their weight Looking at magazines for just 60 minutes lowers the

self esteem of 80% of girls 63% of girls would rather model for a men’s

magazine than be a doctor, teacher, or nurse

Can You Believe?

Psychological characteristics that can make a person more likely to develop anorexia nervosa include: Rigid thinking patterns Need for control Perfectionism Physical or sexual abuse

Anorexia nervosa occurs eight times more often in people who have relatives with the disorder. However, experts do not know exactly what the inherited factor may be.

In addition, anorexia nervosa occurs more often in families with a history of depression or alcohol abuse.

Women are bombarded with messages from the media that they must diet to meet this standard.

However, this idealized ultra-thin body shape is almost impossible for most women to achieve since it does not fit with the biological and inherited factors that determine natural body weight.

The influence of the media and fashion on the proliferation of eating disorders cannot be refuted.From an early age we are bombarded with images and messages that reinforce the idea to be happy and successful we must be thin.Today, you cannot read a magazine or newspaper, turn on the television, listen to the radio, or shop at the mall without being assaulted with the message that fat is bad.Adolescents often feel fatally flawed if their weight, hips, and breasts don't match up to those of models and actors.

Food and eating dominate the life of a person with anorexia nervosa.

Distorted view of weight and shape become the main or even sole measures of self-worth.

Maintaining an extremely low weight becomes equated with beauty, success, self-esteem, and self-control and is not seen as a problem.

People with an eating disorder think about food, weight, and body image constantly.

Spectrum of physical characteristics seen among adolescents with eating disorders. 

Anorexia nervosa, in the most simple terms, is self-starvation.

Anorexics feel there is a serious disturbance in the way they feel about food, weight, and body image.

Anorexics are also often characterized as stubborn, vain, appearance-obsessed people who simply do not know when to stop dieting.

Problems associated in weight loss include lowering of:Heart rate Blood pressure Breathing rate Body temperature (which may result in feeling cold)

Other Physical problems include:

Thinning or drying of the hair “Lanugo" hair (a fine hair that develops on the face, back, or arms and legs) Dry skin Restlessness and reduced sleep Yellowish color on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet Lack of or infrequent menstrual periods Death!

People in certain occupations that emphasize leanness to improve performance and appearance are at increased risk for developing anorexia nervosa. These include dancers, gymnasts, figure skaters, runners,

wrestlers, cheerleaders, sorority girls, and models.

Bulimia Nervosa, in the most simple terms, is binge eating followed by forced vomiting

Bulimics feel there is a serious disturbance in the way they feel about food, weight, and body image.

Bulimics are also often characterized as stubborn, vain, appearance-obsessed people who simply do not know when to stop dieting.

Eating uncontrollably, binging, and purging

Forced Vomiting or Vomiting Blood

Abusing Laxatives, or Diuretics

Going to the bathroom frequently after eating

Preoccupied with body weight

Depression and mood swings

Feeling out of control

Swollen glands in neck and face

Heartburn, bloating, indigestion, or constipation

Irregular menstrual periods

Dental and gum problems

Persistent sore throat

Bloodshot eyes

Weakness, Fatigue, Exhaustion

This eating disorder, also called binge eating disorder is characterized by an addiction to food.

An individual suffering with compulsive overeating disorder has episodes of uncontrolled eating or binging, during which he or she may have a pressured, frenzied feeling.

The person may continue to eat even after becoming uncomfortably full. The binge is typically followed by a period of intense guilt and/or depression.

Preoccupied with food Preoccupied with

weight Distorted body image Poor self-esteem Depression Mood swings Engages in binge

eating Obsessive Exercise Abuse of diet aids Extreme weight loss Engages in purging Nutritional deficiencies Lack of self-control with

food

Hospitalization Food Tolerance Medication

After Care Counseling

Nutrition Information Fitness Information Emotional Psychological Self-Image

Do people really want to make themselves a skinny – fat person?

What would you do if you knew someone with an eating disorder?

How could you help a friend that developed a eating disorder?