This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, a time to recognize how deeply food and body image issues impact people, especially teenage girls. Eating disorders are increasingly common among children and teens and can have devastating effects that last a lifetime. Eating disorders are the third most prevalent type of chronic illness in teen girls – as many as 5% of girls will suffer from an eating disorder before their 18th birthday. While adolescent girls are the most likely to experience an eating disorder, more and more boys and LGBTQIA youth are affected as well. Instances of body image-related issues are on the rise in general and have increased sharply in the past three decades.
What Are Eating Disorders, and Why Are They Dangerous?
The most common types of eating disorders include:
- Anorexia nervosa, or extreme limiting of food. People who suffer from anorexia will resort to dire methods to reduce the amount of food they eat and may continue to talk about feeling fat or seeking diets even when they become very thin.
- Bulimia nervosa, or “bingeing and purging.” A bulimic person may appear enthusiastic or ravenous at mealtimes but will purge their meals by vomiting, using laxatives, enemas, or excessive exercise.
- Binge eating, or an unstoppable urge to eat excessive amounts of food that is followed by feelings of shame and guilt.
While these three disorders are relatively well-known and discussed issues, it is crucial to recognize eating disorders’ impact on a person’s health. In essence, every organ system in the body is harmed by eating disorders. Severe eating disorders can cause lasting damage to a person’s skin, bones, and muscle fibers and comprises the immune system. Without intervention and treatment, up to 20% of eating disorder cases result in death. People with anorexia nervosa are likely to experience a sharp decline in energy and motivation, as well as irregular menstrual cycles in women. Hair loss, dizziness, and severe anxiety are known to accompany anorexia. Because anorexic people limit what they are eating, they are also likely to limit how and when they socialize and may choose to miss out on activities and social settings. People with bulimia are prone to dental decay, muscle weakness, and stomach pain. The risks associated with eating disorders are amplified for children and teens, who impair the body from developing properly by interrupting healthy nutritional cycles. Binge eating, in particular, is known to have long-term effects, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
Telltale Signs That A Teen Suffers from an Eating Disorder
Secrecy can be one of the biggest frustrations between adults and teens. During adolescence, it is normal for young people to experience hormonal fluctuations, physical and sexual impulses, and new emotional patterns – all of which can feel embarrassing or overwhelming to talk about with parents or trusted adults.
Eating disorders are an extreme example of how secrecy can turn deadly. Here are some signs that a young person may be hiding an eating disorder:
- They become picky about what they eat or make excuses to skip meals on a recurring basis.
- They disappear after a meal. Self-induced vomiting is the most common form of bulimia. If a teen you know makes frequent trips to the bathroom, is retching, or carries the odor of vomit after a meal, they may be suffering from bulimia.
- They start wearing baggy clothing. While a teen with an eating disorder might be proud of a thinning body in some environments, they will likely try to hide their rapidly changing shape from their parents or family members.
- You catch them obsessing over their looks. Whether in front of a mirror or in conversation with their friends, constantly talking about their looks is a telltale sign that a teen has body image issues.
Intervention Starts with Empathy
To help bridge the communication gap that often forms between teens and adults, it is critical for adults to approach conversations around eating disorders with compassion and empathy. Rather than accusing a teen of doing something wrong, try to understand their perspective. Do they feel alienated by their peers? Are they setting unrealistic expectations for themselves? Find ways to level with them and to appreciate their experience.
Understanding different eating disorders and why they happen can help guide an adult through intervention or relapse. Adults can schedule appointments with dieticians and pediatricians to reinforce healthy ideas around food, nutrition, and body image when it feels right.
Seeking Treatment for Eating Disorders
The essential takeaway around eating disorders is this – they are absolutely treatable, and treatment is most effective when it starts early. While treatment cannot undo severe damage to a body’s tissues and organs, it can rebuild a teen’s sense of what is and is not healthy, both physically and mentally. Depending on the diagnosis and severity of an eating disorder, doctors may recommend therapeutic options with counselors, psychiatrists, or support groups.
