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| Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia,
and binge eating disorder include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding
weight and food issues.
They are serious emotional and physical
problems that can have life threatening consequences for females and males.
According to the National Eating Disorder Association, as many as ten million females and
one million males in America are fighting an eating disorder. |
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| Anorexia Nervosa |
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Symptoms Include: |
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Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal
weight for height, body type, age, and activity level |
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Intense
fear of weight gain or being "fat" |
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Feeling "fat" or overweight despite dramatic weight loss |
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Loss of menstrual periods |
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Extreme concern with body weight and shape |
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| Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by a
secret cycle of binge eating followed by purging. Bulimia includes eating large
amounts of food--more than most people would eat in one meal--in short periods of time,
then getting rid of the food and calories through vomiting. laxative abuse, or
over-exercising. |
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| Symptoms include: |
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Repeated episodes of bingeing and purging |
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Feeling out of control during a binge and eating beyond the point
of comfortable fullness |
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Purging after a binge, (typically by self-induced vomiting, abuse
of laxatives, diet pills and/or diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting) |
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Frequent dieting |
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Extreme concern with body weight |
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Binge Eating Disorder
(Also known as
Compulsive Overeating) |
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Binge Eating Disorder is
characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond
the point of feeling comfortably full. While there is no purging, there may be
sporadic fasts or repetitive diets and often feelings of shame or self-hatred after a
binge. People who overeat compulsively may struggle with anxiety, depression, and
loneliness, which can contribute to their unhealthy episodes of binge eating. Body
weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity. |
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Other Eating Disorders |
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Other eating disorders can include some combination of
the signs and symptoms of anorexia, bulimia, and/or binge eating disorder. While
these behaviors may not be clinically considered a full syndrome eating disorder, they can
be physically dangerous and emotionally draining. All eating disorders require
professional help.
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