 Facts and Articles
Could you or someone you care about have an eating disorder?
It’s no secret that, in modern American culture, thinness is often associated with positive qualities such as happiness, attractiveness, and success. Because of this over-emphasis on appearance, nearly every person has been faced with doubts or stresses related to their weight and body shape – pressures that can have a decidedly negative impact on one’s self-image and self-esteem.
Common types of eating disorders and their symptoms »
What are the Causes of Anorexia
It's not known specifically what causes some people to develop anorexia. As with many diseases, it's likely a combination of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors.
More about causes of anorexia »
Who Becomes Anorexic
Anorexia may seem very common because of media attention and television specials, but in truth, its prevalence is hard to pin down, partly because anorexia is sometimes defined in different ways by different researchers. Some estimates say only about 1 percent of American girls and women have anorexia. More about anorexia risk factors »
Did You Know…
Eating disorders are real, complex, and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. They are not a fad, phase or lifestyle choice. Eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that affect a person’s emotional and physical health. More eating disorders facts »
Eating Disorders Are Treatable – But Getting Help is Essential
The amount, type, and quality of food that a person eats is influenced by a number of factors, including age, health, body type, cultural preferences and practices, geography, and socioeconomic status. Similarly, the decision to voluntarily reduce or increase the amount of food a person consumes can be prompted by influences such as current weight, mental state, health, and social mores.
More about eating disorders treatments »
Getting Help: The Sooner the Better
The one piece of “good news” related to eating disorders is that with effective treatment they can be managed, and former disordered eaters can pursue healthy lives while maintaining an appropriate weight. But because of the cumulative effect that self-starvation, binging, and purging can have on a body, the efficacy of any treatment plan can be diminished by waiting too long to get professional help. More about effective eating disorders treatment »
On the Teen Scene: Eating Disorders Require Medical Attention
Though eating disorders can affect individuals of both genders at any age, they occur most commonly occur in young people – particularly teenage girls and young women. More about teens eating disorders »
Vegetarianism and Disordered Eating
Whether vegetarian for health, religion or for ethics, research exists about the benefits of a plant-based diet. Recent research also shows that a growing number of people, especially women in their late teens, are adopting vegetarian and vegan diets in order to lose weight, maintain low body weight, and mask restrictive eating patterns. More about vegetarianism and eating disorders »
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