Overview on eating disorders

International Journal of Advanced Science and Engineering, 2022

The purpose of this review is to create awareness about Eating Disorders (ED) disease to the sufferers, their families, and the society in general. The disease threatens the health of millions of young girls aged roughly between 14 to 28 years and also some boys. The review will deal with the following topics related to Eating Disorders (ED): Hunger and why we feel hungry; discuss the causes of eating disorder (ED), which comprises of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia Nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED); describe the ED’s relationship with psychological issues; throwing light on its relationship with physical complications; the availability of drugs for the treatment of ED; a set of guidelines for hospitalization of ED patients by the Society for Adolescent Medicine; elaboration of the important question of prevention of disease; the position of ED in India, the influx of social media, social and cultural values; requirement of serious attention to obtain a realistic picture of the ED issue. Finally, quarantine and self-isolation have undoubtedly caused negative consequences for one’s mental health due to separation from loved ones, loss of freedom, loss of income, and increased boredom.

International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2003

Objective: To review the literature on the incidence and prevalence of eating disorders. Methods: We searched Medline using several key terms relating to epidemiology and eating disorders and we checked the reference lists of the articles that we found. Special attention has been paid to methodologic problems affecting the selection of populations under study and the identification of cases. Results: An average prevalence rate for anorexia nervosa of 0.3% was found for young females. The prevalence rates for bulimia nervosa were 1% and 0.1% for young women and young men, respectively. The estimated prevalence of binge eating disorder is at least 1%. The incidence of anorexia nervosa is 8 cases per 100,000 population per year and the incidence of bulimia nervosa is 12 cases per 100,000 population per year. The incidence of anorexia nervosa increased over the past century, until the 1970s. Discussion: Only a minority of people who meet stringent diagnostic criteria for eating disorders are seen in mental health care. # 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 34: 383-396, 2003.

European Journal of Internal Medicine, 2011

Background: Eating disorders are common health problems afflicting mainly female adolescents and young women. They are associated with important physical health and psychosocial morbidity, and carry increased risk of death. Their cause is not yet completely understood and their management is complex, with some patients resisting all available treatments. Aims of this review: To provide the readers with an update regarding our knowledge and understanding of eating disorders. Methods: Medline database has been used for searching articles on eating disorders published since 1980. The key words used were eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating. Professional books published during this period has been also reviewed. Conclusions: In the last 30 years a substantial improvement has been achieved both in the understanding and management of eating disorders, but many problems still need to be resolved. Three principal priorities should be addressed. First, the actual classification of eating disorders should be revised, since about half the cases seen in clinical practice receive a diagnosis of eating disorder not otherwise specified, and it is common to observe a migration between eating disorder diagnoses. Second, the research on pathogenesis should better clarify the exact role of genetic and environmental risk factors, and how they interact and vary across the development and maintenance of eating disorders. Third, there is an urgent need both to disseminate the few evidence-based treatments available, and to develop more potent treatments for all the eating disorder diagnostic categories.

2009

An eating disorder is marked by extremes. It is present when a person experiences severe disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme reduction of food intake or extreme overeating, or feelings of extreme distress or concern about body weight or shape. A person with an eating disorder may have started out just eating smaller or larger amounts of food than usual, but at some point, the urge to eat less or more spirals out of control. Eating disorders are very complex, and despite scientific research to understand them, the biological, behavioral and social underpinnings of these illnesses remain elusive. The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. A third category is "eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS)," which includes several variations of eating disorders. Eating disorders frequently appear during adolescence or young adulthood, but some reports indicate that they can develop during childhood or later in adulthood. Women and girls are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder. Men and boys account for an estimated 5 to 15 percent of patients with anorexia or bulimia and an estimated 35 percent of those with binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders are real, treatable medical illnesses with complex underlying psychological and biological causes. They frequently co-exit with other psychiatric disorders such as depression, substance abuse, or anxiety disorders. People with eating disorders also can suffer from numerous other physical health complications, such as heart conditions or kidney failure, which can lead to death.

2015

The prevalence of eating disorders is becoming an increasing problem in recent years. Eating disorders, located in avoidable disorders, have fatal complications and need to be well recognised by health professionals. Studies also indicate increasing rate of less-known eating disorders as well as commonly known types. Signs and symptoms, risk factors and treatment of eating disorders show a wide variation. Studies that will be conducted on the subject will; facilitate planning and determining the quality of health services. Especially health care workers with their work; will contribute to early diagnosis and treatment. In this review the epidemiology, aetiology, symptoms and risk groups of less -known eating disorders are evaluated.