Anorexia Nervosa: An issue of control Essay -- Eating Disorders Health

Anorexia Nervosa: An issue of control As medicine has progressed through the years, so have the avenues for diagnosing the various causes of many disorders. Recently there have been new discoveries about the disorder anorexia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is a life-threatening eating disorder defined by a refusal to maintain body weight within 15 percent of an individual's minimal normal weight. (2) Other essential features of this disorder include an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and amenorrhea (absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles when otherwise expected to occur) in women. (1) Theories about the causes of anorexia nervosa include the psychological, biological, and environmental. This paper will discuss the question of the multiple origins of anorexia nervosa, and attempt to identify a common underlying cause. Conservative estimates suggest that one-half to one percent of females in the U.S. develop anorexia. Because more than 90 percent of all those who are affected are adolescent and young women, the disorder can be characterized primarily as a women's illness. It should be noted, however, that children as young as 7 have been diagnosed, and women 50, 60, 70, and even 80 fit the diagnosis. (5) Like all eating disorders, it tends to occur in pre or post puberty, but can develop at any life change. One reason younger women are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders is their tendency to go on strict diets to achieve an "ideal" figure. This obsessive dieting behavior reflects a great deal of today's societal pressure to be thin, which is seen in advertising and the media. Others especially at risk for eating disorders include athletes, actors, and models for whom thinne... ...he links between mental illness and depression. It addresses a very wide variety of issues. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/9/1663_51209.htm? 7)Genetics and Eating Disorders, this site looks at the link between genetics and eating disorders. It also looks at the different medical studies that have been conducted on the topic. http://my.webmd.com/webmd_today/home/404?ourl=404;http://my.webmd.com/content/article/2/3204_673.htm?&referer=http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro03/web2/arutigliano.html 8)On the Teen Scene, this site looks at the effect of anorexia nervosa on teenagers. It looks at questions as to why it affect that one age group so hard, and its ramifications. http://my.webmd.com/webmd_today/home/404?ourl=404;http://my.webmd.com/content/article/5/1680_50412.htm?&referer=http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro03/web2/arutigliano.html