Social Psy-Eating Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Social Psy-Eating Disorder - Essay Example Eating Disorders mainly affect teenage and adolescent females, nearly 5-7% of the females, at some stage of their lives, have been diagnosed with some form of Eating Disorder in the United States of America. (Milos, 2005) Adolescence is characterized by a number of biological changes, be it physical, hormonal, sexual or psychological. One of the major psychological changes is the sudden concern about one’s appearance. â€Å"Feelings about work, school, relationships, day-to-day activities and ones experience of emotional well being are determined by what has or has not been eaten or by a number on a scale†(Siegel et al,1988). This concern might cross the normal limits and manifest into what are known as â€Å"Eating Disorders†. As the term suggests, Eating Disorders correspond to an abnormal swing in eating behavior. The swing might be towards either extreme i.e. eating in excess or eating close to nothing. These disorders affect both the physical and mental health. The disorders can be categorized into the following- Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. A third category is "eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS), is currently being investigated by medical professionals throughout the world. This category includes the Binge Eating Disorder. As the name suggests, it is a chronic disease wherein an individual consumes excessive amount of food during a short period of time. It can lead to serious health conditions such as morbid obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (American Psychiatric Association,2005). These three ailments together affect nearly 10 million teenagers, a major proportion of them being females. Only 10% of Anorexic patients are male. Most anorexics become so as adolescents, with 76% reporting onset of the disorder between the ages of 11 and 20(National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders, 2005).One of the most disturbing facts is that