Taylor Swift, a young adult known for her famous hit songs, recently announced that she was battling an eating disorder. The world was stunned with many people making fun of the young adult. However, she later came forward and said it was threatening to her health. Her eating patterns were off and she struggled with weight, sleep, and emotions. She would wake up at odd hours in the night to grab a slice of pizza then return to bed and forget all she did. She is not the only young person to have eating disorders.

An eating disorder is a condition where a person has negative eating behaviors. This behaviors are persistent and follow a pattern. Eating disorders are serious they can dangerously affect a person’s life in areas such as health, emotions and your ability to function or learn in school. This disorder affects a persons ability to get the required nutrition for the body seriously affecting your health. Luckily, this disorder is treatable. However, if not treated this disorder could have serious implications on your health  and potentially death.

PREVALENCE

Eating disorders can affect anyone in any age group regardless of their gender (male or female), nationality, race and social status. In fact, according to research done by ANAD, at least 30 million people in the United States suffer from a  variation of an eating disorder. The eating disorder has been known to result in death. Every 62 minutes, a person dies from a direct eating disorder. This is why you must seek help in your teenage and young adult life before the condition worsens. The environment you are in could put you at risk of developing an eating disorder. In addition, if your family had a history of eating disorders, then genetics could play a crucial role and potentially influence the eating disorder. People with stress has also been known to have eating disorders. Forms of an eating disorder such as anorexia have led to students and young adults committing suicide. One out of every five anorexics (eating disorder) deaths is by suicide.

CAUSES

As mentioned above, family history and genetics play an important role in determining eating disorders in an individual. People with siblings or parents who have this condition are likely to have this condition a well.

Secondly, people with another kind of mental disorders can lead to eating disorders. Other mental disorders such as anxiety and depression could open ways for the patient to have more disorders.

Thirdly, stress can induce eating disorders. Stress in any level of life, such as moving/ relocating to new places, relationship issue or a school issue could trigger a sleeping disorder in an individual.

Lastly, just like Taylor Swift’s case, dieting and starvation could trigger eating disorders. Taylor Swift is a worldwide sensation with many expecting her to have some type of body. This led her to go on strict diets and starve herself in a bid to ensure she has the perfect body. However, doing this only creates an irregular eating pattern which ultimately leads to eating disorders.

WARNING SIGNS

The symptoms of an eating disorder will vary with the eating disorder as explained below.

Anorexia Nervosa is the first type of eating disorder. This eating disorder is dangerous and could threaten your life. Simply known as anorexia, this disorder is characterized by abnormal weight, anxiety about weight (constant fear that you might gain weight) and a bad perception of body shape. This anxiety can make you go to extreme measures to cut your weight down, threatening your health and life. This condition limits your ability to eat making you underweight and malnutrition. It could also lead to self-starvation.

The second type of an eating disorder is the Bulimia Nervosa simply known as bulimia. Just like anorexia, this is a serious condition that could threaten your life. This disorder is exhibited by a lack of control when eating. You also limit the amount of food you eat during the day and eat uncontrollably at night. Like Taylor swift many teenagers and young adults suffer from this condition. However, this condition is also fuelled by shame and anxiety because of the fear of gaining weight and shame of overeating. Bulimia makes a person self-critical and extremely ‘judgeful’ of their body weight and shape.

Additionally, rumination disorder is the final eating disorder. This is life threatening just like the other conditions. However, this condition makes a person ‘bring’ back food into the mouth immediately after eating. This is not intentional because it is not coupled with nausea or gagging. However, this is more common in infants than in children.

Overeating behavior comes with significant risks of terminal illnesses.  Teens have a risk of developing obesity, where their Body Mass Index goes above 25 units. Upon becoming overweight, other life threatening health conditions are likely to be invited. For example, the possible outcome of poor nutrition is hypertention. Otherwise known as high blood pressure, hypertention is a silent killer since it frequently lies undetected, allowing it to damage the body in silence. Unfortunately, 21st century teens like to eat too much junk food, dairy products, salt, refined food, sugar, and salt, which may trigger hypertension.

Poor nutrition may also trigger eating disorders. Aforementioned, diet in the 21st century has change. The majority of New Zealanders are consuming food with high cholesterol content, such as eggs, cheese, red meat, butter, and ice cream instead of white meat like fish, chicken, and seafood. As such, teens with eating disorder are likely to exhibit diabetes. Fat- and sugar-laden diet leads to weight gain as well. Such kids may also be diagnosed with stroke, which is caused by plaque building up in the blood vessels, and later travelling to the brain to create a blockage. That is why most people with eating disorders have impaired brain functioning, and make poor judgement.

TREATMENT

Eating disorder can be treated before complications develop. Among other things, teens risk developing obesity, and other life threatening health conditions are likely to be invited Hypertention, a silent killer, and stroke, which is caused by plaque building up in the blood vessels.

Therapy and medication is the best way to assist patients who suffer from an eating disorder. Since the disorder is fuelled by the brain with factors such as anxiety, stress, and fear, doctors target therapy and medication intended for changing the brains’ chemistry (make up), before treating the nutritional deficit created. Patients are advised to go for therapy and take prescribed medication to suppress symptoms off the disorder such as anxiety and stress so they can be able to eat normally.

WHERE TO SEEK HELP IN NZ

Eating disorders are a potential hazard to your life. If you think you, a friend or a relative have experienced the symptoms above, reach out before its too late.

Apparently, many young people suffering from eating disorders are ashamed of asking for help. But the team of professionals on the following hot lines is genuinely concerned about your health and safety. Talk to a professional if you think you or a close friend or family member has an eating disorder.

Calling and asking a professional about an eating disorder is the first way of getting help. This way you will understand all about eating disorders better and feel better about yourself. Call 0800 2 EDANZ or (09) 5222679 to speak to a professional today in  Remuera, Auckland. Feel free to talk to your fellow peer using out warmlines at Canterbury and West Coast (03 379 8415 / 0800 899 276), from 1pm to midnights everyday.