Information on Eating Disorders This past week marked National
Eating Disorder Awareness Week, a week dedicated to preventing
eating disorders and body image issues by increasing awareness
and treatment options, and decreasing the stigmas attached.
Millions of people suffer with eating disorders in the United
States. Though typically seen as only affecting females, males
make up 15% of clients with anorexia or bulimia, and about half
of clients with binge eating disorder. There are three main
types of eating disorders, though there are multiple
combinations of symptoms that may be classified as eating
disorders not otherwise specified. Anorexia nervosa is a
serious, potentially life threatening eating disorder marked by
self-starvation and excessive weight loss. There are four main
symptoms of anorexia: resistance to maintaining minimal body
weight at or above normal for one’s ages and height; disturbance
in body image; intense fear of gaining weight; and loss of
menstrual period in girls and women post-puber