Campaigns- Mental Health - What is an Eating Disorder?

  • There are 2 most common eating disorders- Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
  • Someone with anorexia nervosa worries all the time about being fat (even if they are skinny) and eats very little. They lose a lot of weight.
  • Someone with bulimia nervosa also worries a lot about weight. They alternate between eating next to nothing, and then having binges when they gorge themselves. They vomit or take laxatives to control their weight.
  • Anorexia nervosa most commonly starts in the mid-teens. About one in a hundred 16 to 18 year olds has the illness. Bulimia nervosa usually starts when people are a little older. Both are much more common in females, but men and women of any age can develop an eating disorder. Bulimia is more common than anorexia.

What Causes Eating Disorders?
The fact is there’s no simple answer to this. For some people, eating disorders may develop partly in response to difficult life experiences such as abuse, or social pressures encountered as part of puberty. Genetic factors can be important, especially in anorexia. For some it is linked to depression. Eating disorders are also more common in cultures where it is considered desirable to be slim- surveys have found that 61% of young women feel inadequate compared to the media’s image of beautiful women.
Take Barbies and shop mannequins as an example – they can’t be the equivalent sizes of real women – can they? Check out this table to see how they compare:

 

Average woman

Barbie

Store mannequin

Height

5' 4"

6' 0"

 6' 0"

Weight

145 lbs.

101 lbs

Not available

Dress size

12 -14

6

8

Bust

36 - 37"

39"

34"

Waist

29 - 31"

 19"

23"

Hips

40 - 42"

33"

34"

How can you spot an eating disorder?

  • There are lots of warning signs, such as rapid loss of weight, eating much less than normal and making excuses about having eaten somewhere else.  Sometime the person insists on cooking for themeslf, or refuses to eat with the family, and makes an unusual fuss about certain food types. They may have complained about their weight before all of this has started, and almost certainly has been on a diet.
  • Some of the commonest signs of anorexia are excessive exercising and withdrawal from a normal social life. Also important is that the anorexic usually denies that anything is wrong and get aggressive if you try to press the point.
  • Bulimia may be suspected when the sufferer consistently disappears to the bathroom after eating. Food may disappear in large amounts or s/he may appear to be eating very well but not gaining weight. Bulimia is a hidden illness since the person doesn’t neccessarily lose weight, but if this behaviour starts to happen after a period of dieting, people around the sufferer may start to realise something is amiss.

How are Eating Disorders treated?

  • Eating disorders are complex illnesses where both the disturbed eating pattern as well as the psychological aspects have to be considered together.
  • The sufferer has to want to recover, and whilst the support and guidance from friends and family is important, it is not enough in itself.
  • The first step will usually be to talk to the GP about the problem. Depending on the severity of the disorder and their diagnosis, treatments may include a course of counselling or referral to a specialist for further assessment. This may in turn lead to an offer of day-patient or outpatient treatment or, where the disorder is more serious, inpatient treatment. Treatment may also be needed for any medical condition which has resulted from the eating disorder, or is associated with it.

What help is out there?

If you think you may have an eating difficulty, or you know someone who has then you can get help from the following places –

STUDENTS’ UNION
The Student Advice and Representation Centre in the Portland Building, has loads of free leaflets and information that is available for you to pick up. Drop in anytime:

  • Monday: 9am - 4pm
  • Tuesday: 9am - 4pm (during term-time we are usually also available in the Amenities Centre at Sutton Bonington on Tuesday afternoons)
  • Wednesday: 10am - 5pm (9am - 4pm vacations)
  • Thursday: 9am - 4pm
  • Friday: 9am - 4pm

Email: student-advice-centre@nottingham.ac.uk
UNIVERSITY
University of Nottingham Counselling Service, Trent Building, University Park. To make a free appointment call 0115 951 3695 Appointments can be made at University sites at Sutton Bonnington, Boston, Lincoln, Derby, Mansfield and Nottingham.
External Organisations
You can also get useful information from the British Nutrition Foundation. Their website at www.nutrition.org.uk is tailored to people of all ages.

The Eating Disorders Association provides advice and support for anyone with an eating disorder including anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Call the Eating Disorders Association helpline on 0845 634 1414 (Mondays to Fridays 8.30am-8.30pm, Saturdays 1pm-4.30pm). They have a website at www.edauk.com.

Overeaters Anonymous offers support and advice to people with all kinds of eating problems. You can write to them at PO Box 19, Stretford, Manchester M32 9EB, or you can call their 24-hour answerphone on 07000 784 985 for a list of local support groups. You can visit their international website at www.overeatersanonymous.org.

Warriors is a weight management programme designed specifically for men. You can check out what they offer at www.warriors.org.uk.

The National Centre for Eating Disorders provide private counselling for compulsive dieters and anyone with an eating disorder including: obesity, anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. Check out their website at www.eating-disorders.org.uk.

The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust - TOAST is a volunteer run group that campaigns for the rights of the obese as well as encouraging healthy lifestyles and physical activity. To find out more call 01279 866 010 (office hours), or e-mail them at enquiries@toast-uk.org.uk or check out their website at www.toast-uk.org.uk. You can also write to them sending a stamped self-addressed A5 envelope to: TOAST, PO Box 6430, Harlow, CM18 7TT

Author: name Date: 10/08/2005

University of Nottingham Students' Union
Portland Building, University Park , Nottingham NG7 2RD
Tel: + 44 (0)115 846 8800 Fax: + 44 (0)115 846 8801

© 2005 University of Nottingham Students' Union