Spotting eating disorders

Eating disorders are conditions that negatively impact human health, emotions and ability to function in important areas of life. Common eating disorders are : anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating.

Anorexia: Weight loss is one of the most obvious signs of anorexia. But even when they're drastically underweight, anorexics may still think they're too heavy. Some people with anorexia try to hide their thinness beneath layers of baggy clothes.

They may eat just one small meal, always say they aren't hungry or avoid starchy foods or carbohydrates. They may also avoid social situations, and exercise excessively. Anorexia can lead to dizziness, concentration problems, pale or dry skin, trouble sleeping, weak muscles and thin hair. Girls and women with anorexia may also stop menstruating.

Bulimia: People with bulimia are always dieting and hiding food. They may eat to the point of discomfort but only when no one is watching. After overeating, people with bulimia force themselves to throw up, usually by putting their fingers down their throat. Marks on the back of their hands may indicate bulimia. Routinely using laxatives or going to the bathroom right after eating are also signs of bulimia.

Binge-eating: Binge-eaters consume large amounts of food very quickly, stopping only when they are uncomfortably full. When bingeing, they tend to feel out of control. Binge-eating is hard to identify because it may happen only occasionally. This behavior can continue for a long period of time before notice.
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Traumatic event increase a woman's risk of obesity

According to a new study, women who have experienced traumatic events are more likely to become obese. Researchers discovered that the more traumatic events women reported experiencing in the last five years, the more likely they were to become obese. Obesity can leads to elevated risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and other serious health problems.

As much as 20 percent of people who experience trauma develop post traumatic stress disorder PTSD, but women are twice likely to suffer from the disorder as are their male counter parts. Stress from sources like bullying and economic strain has well-documented links to eating disorders, including over-eating and obesity. Since women are more prone to both extreme stress or PTSD and obesity, the study authors suggest that more attention needs to be paid to these relationships.

The researchers analysed data on both the women’s body mass indexes BMI and self-reported stress. The divided stressors into two categories: Significant traumatic events like physical violence or the death of a child that could have occurred any time in their lives and still be affecting them, and ‘negative life events’ that had occurred in the last five years.

Living through just one traumatic life event increased the risk of obesity by 11 percent, over that of women who reported no traumatic events. Those that had experienced four or more ‘negative life events’ were at a 36 percent greater risk of obesity.Women are living longer and are more at risk for chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity is related to increased risks of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer, and contributes to spiraling healthcare costs.
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