Eating Disorders, Anorexia, Bulimia: The Statistics

by Jennifer Foley

Note: this is a two part article. You will find the link to the other part in the table of contents Click here

My name is Jennifer Foley and I am a fully recovered Anorexic and Bulimic. I run the ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) support groups for the Metropolitan New Orleans area, and am the Contact Resource Person for the area, along with Louisiana. In Part 1 of this article, I shared my personal battle with these diseases and my recovery. Now, I feel it's necessary to tell you about these illnesses, and some statistics that are only growing.

Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia are mental disorders (Eating Disorders) that are growing rampant in today's society. Anorexia, by definition, is a loss of appetite; yet, Anorexia is essentially about weight rather than eating. Anorexia is self-induced starvation to the point of extreme, and deadly weight loss. Anorexics, characteristically, claim to not have an appetite because in eating normal amounts of food, they fear gaining weight, or being considered fat. These victims consciously feel that they need to achieve ultimate thinness; yet, since there is no such definition of ultimate thinness, these sufferers become trapped in an endless pursuit of a weight that is lowered, and lowered as the disease progresses.

Bulimia is characterized as a food obsession followed by repeated bingeing (overeating) and purging (abuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, obsessive and excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, prolonged starving, and/ or sleeping) which forms into a vicious and possibly fatal condition.

Since I give lectures at many schools and other places, people most often ask the question, why do people do this to themselves and why can't they just stop? My answer is that Eating Disorders are not about weight, food, or obsession of appearance; those are merely symptoms. Eating Disorders have many causes: fear of independence or growing up, * insecurity and low self-esteem,
* feelings of, or real lack of control over one's life,
* sexual trauma and/ or abuse,
* the need to relieve anxiety and stress in one's life,
* major life changes or crises (i.e. puberty, death of a significant other, location changes, etc.)
* peer pressure/ media encouragement of thinness.

There are many controversial issues over how to define Anorexia, due to the belief that weight loss is only a symptom. Many people believe that there is such a thing called a Borderline Anorexic. This basically means that some characteristics of the disease are evident, yet, severe weight loss has not occurred at that point. I agree with this belief.

Anorexia is defined by several major features:

1) Self- starvation and obsession with food, weight, and appearance
2) A profound fear of being fat (even if emaciated)
3) A relentless pursuit of losing weight that typically leads to 20% to 25% loss of normal body weight
4) No other medical or mental disorder can explain such a weight loss
5) Deprivation of food, in spite of obvious hunger
6) Loss of menstrual period, in women, and sometimes, impotency in men
7) Occasional binges, or perceived binges followed by purging
8) Purging
9) Hair loss and excessive hair growth (lanugo) to protect body temperature
10) Obsessive/ Compulsive Behavior (i.e. perfectionism)
11) Withdrawal from normal or previous activities
12) Ritualistic behaviors around food and other aspects of life (i.e. obsessive cooking for others, and unusual patterns around the eating of food)
13) Distorted body image of self and others

Bulimia is defined by several major features:

With these criteria in mind, there are many characteristics and warning signs that are shared between both diseases. Some sufferers only have a few of theses, many have them all. The general characteristics, and warning signs of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia are:

1) Fear of being fat, or gaining weight
2) Obsessive behavior around food, weight, and appearance
3) Peculiar rituals around food and other aspects of life
4) Feeling cold, even in warm weather, due to electrolyte imbalance, and or lack of body fat
5) Long absences, or unexplained disappearances after meals
6) Swollen glands under the chin (from vomiting)
7) Bloodshot eyes, and popped blood vessels around the eye area (from vomiting)
8) Anemia (easily bruised)
9) Cooking food excessively for others and obsession with recipes
10) Impulsive/Compulsive erratic Behavior in all areas of life
11) Severe mood swings
12) Hyperactivity and/or Lethargic behavior
13) Anxiety, Low Self- Esteem, and Depression (often masked)
14) Teeth problems from increased acidic levels from starving and/or vomiting
15) Scars on knuckles from vomiting
16) Perfectionism and restrictive behavior
17) Constant conversation about weight, food, and calories
18) Seeks approval of others and relationships
19) Isolation
20) Wearing baggy clothes to hide their body for fear of being perceived as fat (even if emaciated)

ANAD has run a ten year study on the statistics of Eating Disorders and, as of 1996, reported that 86% of all victims of Eating Disorders reached onset of their illness prior to the age of 20. Experts now estimate that 1 of every 100 women between the ages of 12 and 25 suffers from anorexia, while 1 of every 7 women in the same age group develops bulimia. Men develop eating disorders; yet, the occurrence of such diseases is less frequent, with only 10% of all anorexics and bulimics are men.

This article is in two parts. To read the other part of the article, click here.

Click Here, Table of Contents

Copyright © 1997 Jennifer Foley All Rights Reserved

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