Wednesday, January 13, 1999
Skewed body image can endanger lives
DISORDERS: To dismiss eating problems as lack of control misses
danger
By Sheri N. Albert
Over two million people in the United States, primarily girls
and young women between the ages of 15 and 35, suffer from the
eating disorders anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge
eating. A great many more girls and women, and a significant
minority of men, find their lives restricted by a negative body
image and unhealthy weight management practices (e.g. use of diet
pills, laxatives and diuretics, and extreme fad diets).
The agonizing sense of isolation caused by eating disorders
disrupts families and damages careers bright with promise. Read
over the following two quotations, both taken from the same person,
and you will see that an eating disorder is more complicated than
some would think.
"When I was 11 years old, I developed anorexia nervosa. It
wasn’t like I ever needed to lose weight. But suddenly how much
food I put into my mouth became my overriding obsession. I remember
walking to school going over in my mind, over and over again, how
many calories I had eaten yesterday and how many calories I planned
to eat the next – and every day it was fewer and fewer
calories.
"My friends would come over to play with me, but I didn’t seem
to want to anymore. I just wanted to be alone. I didn’t seem to
notice my sunken cheeks, thin brittle hair, and scrapes on my
kneecaps from the protruding bones rubbing together when I walked.
I don’t remember being rushed to the hospital on the verge of
death. Little did I know that I was starving myself to gain control
over my body and my life."
– Terri, a sixth-grade girl physically and sexually abused by
her alcoholic father.
"When I was in college, my eating disorder changed dramatically.
I carried a load of 18 units, worked part time, and served in
several leadership positions on campus and in the community while
maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. On the outside, I seemed … in
perfect health.
"Inside, I was drowning in stress, stress from school, stress
from my boyfriend, stress from my roommate situation, and stress
from my mom back home. I turned to food for comfort … anxiously
consuming more than 3,000 calories worth of bagels, sugary cereal,
candy, and/or frozen yogurt within a 30 minute period.
"Feeling disgusted, embarrassed, and ashamed, I isolated myself
from friends and family. I even thought about killing myself. I
kept promising myself that I would never get out of control again.
But it kept happening. I had developed binge eating disorder and
major depression"
– Terri, while in college
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by
self-starvation with excessive weight loss and an intense fear of
fatness, despite being underweight. Over time, women suffering from
this disorder stop menstruating, which can cause significant bone
loss and osteoporosis.
Other health problems include suppressed immune function and
damage to vital organs including the heart, kidneys and brain. One
percent of teenage girls in the United States develop anorexia
nervosa, and up to 10 percent of those may die as a result.
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge
eating (consuming excessive amounts of food in a short time),
followed by some form of purging. Self-induced vomiting, use of
laxatives, diuretics or enemas, strict dieting or fasting, or
vigorous exercise are used to rid the body of the unwanted calories
and prevent weight gain. The individual feels out of control during
the binge, has intense feelings of guilt afterwards, and recognizes
that the behavior is not normal.
Victims often are able to hide their problem because they eat
normally in public and binge and purge in secret. Many are able to
maintain a normal body weight. Symptoms and health consequences of
self-induced vomiting include dehydration, a sore throat, decaying
tooth enamel, swollen salivary glands and cuts on the fingers.
Laxative abuse can lead to severe bouts of diarrhea and
constipation. Up to 5 percent of college women in the United States
suffer from bulimia nervosa.
Binge eating disorder is similar to bulimia nervosa in that
those who suffer may consume extraordinary amounts of food during a
single binge. They do not, however, compensate for the binge by
purging. The morning after a binge, many experience symptoms
similar to a hang-over, which may be so extreme that they are
unable to go to school, or function normally.
Binge eating is an avoidance-coping mechanism. During the binge,
the person mentally and emotionally "checks out" and is unable to
stop the out of control eating. Up to 40 percent of people who are
obese may be binge eaters.
There are many theories about the causes of eating disorders,
but most experts acknowledge that they are complex and include
physical, psychological, cultural and familial factors.
Consequently, one should avoid thinking about these disorders in
simplistic terms like "anorexia is just a plea for attention" or
"bulimia is just an addiction to food."
The media plays a role in presenting unrealistic body images,
especially to young women, which may trigger unhealthy dieting
practices. In addition, there are often extreme pressures to be
thin placed on certain athletes who want to win at all costs, and
on first-year college students who desperately want to be accepted
in their new peer groups.
But trying to develop a model-perfect body is probably not the
main reason people develop eating disorders. Family dynamics and
deep-rooted psychological factors centered around issues of control
may play a greater role. Imagine growing up with an alcoholic or
abusive parent – you can’t control your parent or dysfunctional
family. Or suppose you were molested as a child or raped as an
adult – you had no control over your own body.
Violated, you take refuge in the one area in your life you can
control: your diet and your weight. Other sufferers have not been
physically abused, but they may have parents who are overly
controlling of their lives. Research also suggests that there may
be biochemical imbalances associated with eating disorders.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder
or unhealthy weight management practices, there are people and
programs that can help. Caring clinicians and counselors are
available at the UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness
Center and UCLA Student Psychological Services (SPS). Community
support groups are also available.
There are some ways you can help promote a healthy body image
and remind yourself and others that self-esteem should never be
weighed in pounds on a scale.
Be a good role model in your attitudes about food, body image
and weight-related issues. Avoid making negative comments about
your own body or anyone else’s. Compliment yourself and others
often.
Take good care of yourself. Eat when you are hungry. Rest when
you are tired. Be active because it’s fun. Surround yourself with
people and possessions that remind you of your inner strength and
beauty.
Focus on fitness, rather than weight. Learn how to build a
healthy diet to achieve these goals by attending a free "Nutrition
101" class at the Ashe Center. Call (310) 825-4073 to reserve your
spot. Also, call SPS at (310) 825-0768, or me at (310)
794-4180.
Finally, don’t forget that your body is the vehicle that will
carry you to your dreams. Honor it.
Comments, feedback, problems?
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