An eating disorder is an extremely serious and often life-threatening psychiatric illness characterized by a chronic pattern of distorted food preference and behavior that occasionally include self-starvation, dietary isolation, binge eating, fasting, purging, compensatory eating, and withdrawal from or avoidance of social contact. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed syndromes in America’s weight loss and treatment clinics.
According to the National Comorbidity Study, an estimated one percent of Americans have at least one eating disorder. An estimated 14 percent of those in obesity are likely to experience at least one episode of this disorder in the next year. If left untreated, this condition can become serious enough to cause death.
Among most of the eating disorder statistics, we find a disturbing trend: women are more affected by this condition than men. The reason for this is most likely due to the different cultural factors that influence women’s and men’s behaviors towards food. However, despite this difference in the prevalence rates of this illness, both genders share some common eating disorder facts that can help them fight off their tendency to develop it. In this article, we will highlight these facts to you.
Most people who develop eating disorders are aware that they have such a condition. Some may not be aware that this condition even exists. But the sad fact is, nearly 75 percent of people who suffer from it to develop at least one warning sign before they develop severe symptoms. When you notice an abnormality in your body or behavior, it is important that you seek medical help immediately. This will help you save yourself from serious conditions like suicide. There are various warning signs that you need to look out for.
One of the most common eating disorder facts that we all need to be aware of is that anorexia nervosa is a mental health condition. It is a type of mental health condition where the person develops an extreme fear of gaining weight. It means that they severely restrict their caloric intake. Even a slight increase in their caloric intake can result in them developing severe complications if the condition is not treated right away.
Anorexia nervosa is very common among young women and girls. The alarming statistics that the National Eating Disorders Association reveals reveal tell us that this problem is more widespread among women than men. More alarming statistics reveal that girls and women struggle more when compared to men. Girls struggle more because of social and cultural pressure that often affects them more.
Another interesting fact that should come to your mind is that people struggle with eating disorders for different reasons. It is found that among college students, the number of people suffering from eating disorders is increasing steadily. College students have a lot of physical activities to engage in. Because of this, they often find it difficult to control their body weight or the calories that they consume.
Moreover, another reason why college students are more prone to eating disorders is because most of them have busy schedules. With today’s hectic schedules, they have less time to take care of their health. As a result, the prevalence of gaining weight or obesity is high. This makes it more difficult for people to maintain their healthy weight. The high prevalence of this disease among college students also points to the lack of awareness about this disease among this age group. Most people just see obesity as a problem faced by older people or the elderly.
In conclusion, the information on bulimia nervosa statistics highlights that there is a serious need for awareness among this age group. They need to understand that they are not alone when it comes to dealing with the disease. As a result, they must seek help to get rid of this condition. Through effective education and prevention programs, they can learn how to control binge eating.