Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2022 – 28th Feb – 6th March 2022
This week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week but what do you really know about them?
Worryingly GP's only receive on average 2 hours of training on Eating Disorders BEAT are campaigning to change this. They are campaigning for medical schools to implement proper training.
When I started to write this blog, I did some research, the facts and statistics scared me, plus I realised how little I knew about this disorder that affected so many people!
Are we really aware?
Some facts
It is believed approximately 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder or 1-50 people. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence estimates around 11% of those affected by an eating disorder are male. Recent research from the NHS information centre showed that up to 6.4%.Although eating disorders can affect people of any gender at any life stage, they are most often reported in adolescents and young women.
Up to 13% of people experience at least one eating disorder by twenty.
The types all have long-term effects on someone's health and life plus can be fatal…….
1. Anorexia nervosa
It generally develops during adolescence or young adulthood and tends to affect more women than men. People with anorexia generally view themselves as overweight, even if they are dangerously underweight. They tend to constantly monitor their weight, avoid eating certain foods, and severely restrict their calories.
2. Bulimia nervosa
Like anorexia, bulimia tends to develop during adolescence and early adulthood and appears to be less common among men than women. People with bulimia frequently eat unusually large amounts of food in a specific period of time. Each binge eating episode usually continues until the person becomes painfully full. Individuals with bulimia then attempt to purge to compensate for the calories consumed and relieve gut discomfort. Common purging behaviours include forced vomiting, fasting, laxatives, diuretics, enemas, and excessive exercise.
3. Binge eating disorder
It typically begins during adolescence and early adulthood, although it can develop later. Individuals with this disorder have symptoms similar to bulimia or the binge eating subtype of anorexia. For instance, they typically eat unusually large amounts of food in relatively short periods of time and feel a lack of control during binges. People with binge eating disorder do not restrict calories or use purging behaviours, such as vomiting or excessive exercise, to compensate for their binges
4. Pica
Pica is another eating disorder that involves eating things that are not considered food. Individuals with pica crave non-food substances, such as ice, dirt, soil, chalk, soap, paper, hair, cloth, wool, pebbles, laundry detergent, or corn-starch. Pica can occur in adults, as well as children and adolescents. That said, this disorder is most frequently observed in children, pregnant women, and individuals with mental disabilities. Individuals with pica may be at an increased risk of poisoning, infections, gut injuries, and nutritional decencies. Depending on the substances ingested, pica may be fatal.
Some other not so well known disorders
5. Rumination disorder
6. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
7. Purging disorder.
8. Night eating syndrome
The next question is, what is the cause?
Experts believe many varied factors can cause eating disorders. Through twin studies of twins adopted by different families, there is some evidence to show that it is hereditary.
Personality traits can also be a cause; neuroticism, perfectionism, and impulsivity are all traits that have a high risk of developing an eating disorder.
Cultural preference has a massive impact, especially with social media and the pressure to be thin. Some cultures have little or no cases if not influenced by the western view of thinness.
More recently, experts have proposed that differences in brain structure and biology may also play a role in developing eating disorders. Levels of the brain messenger's serotonin and dopamine may be factors.
Summary: They can be caused by many varied factors, genetics, culture, social media, brain biology or personality traits.
Now you have this info, what can you do?
Click the link below to find out how you can make a difference
#Beateatingdisrorders #mentalhealthawareness #moretrainingforGPs #knowledgeispower