Today we often hear about eating disorders and how it is affecting millions of teens, young women and even guys all over the world. It is an obsession with food and weight which has now become a very serious problem of our society – it is a real concern because it is affecting the mental and physical well being of many youngsters.

The common types of eating disorders are bulimia, anorexia and binge disorders.
• Anorexia is a condition when a person starves in the fear of gaining weight. Weight gain is tried to control through diet pills and also through too much exercising.
• Bulimia is a very dangerous cycle which involves bingeing and purging. These people vomit, exercise, fast and also take laxatives.
• Binge eating is a condition when a person consumes too much food in a very short time. There is no control on his eating and keeps on eating even when not hungry.

We often try to find out the causes of such disorders and why it happens! The actual cause for such eating disorders can be many – from cultural reasons, genetic factors, psychological factors and even personality disorders.

1. Parental behavior and attitudes: Parental criticism on weight gain is often seen to induce bingeing and purging. Many young girls are induced to lose weight by their mothers who want their daughters to have a perfect body.
2. Family history of addictions and emotional disorders can also lead to anorexia and bulimia.
3. Women who had an incidence of sexual abuse are often affected by eating disorders.
4. If there is a family history of obesity it very often leads to bulimia. Kids hate to look like their obese parents and start developing eating disorders.

Genetic reasons:
• Statistics suggest that anorexia is very common in those who have eating disorders in their family…it is said that the genes are responsible in such a case.
• Twins often share a specific eating disorder.
• There are specific chromosomes which are responsible for anorexia and bulimia in people.
• A brain derived neurotrophic factor is also said to be responsible for eating disorders.

Cultural factors:
• How many times have you seen an advertisement on weight reduction pills and desired to (secretly) try out one? Cultural drive for thinness, attractive designer clothes designed for thin people and heavy marketing of weight loss products are enough to lure many people who later on develop eating disorders.

Treatment: Eating disorders can be treated with a combination of therapies and counseling. You need to identify the disorder first and then start its treatment.

Psychotherapy:
• Individual and group therapies can be really helpful in improving self esteem.
• Patients get a scope to learn about healthy eating and how to stay fit.
• Family therapy is very helpful to overcome emotional pain and helps to manage stress.

Nutritional counseling:
• Patients are encouraged to speak to nutritionists and dieticians to get rid of myths related to eating.
• Nutritional counselors help in designing meal plans, setting dietary goals -  thereby helping  patients to achieve normal and healthy weight.
• It also involves education on health consequences that can take place due to eating disorders.

Support groups:
• Those who suffer from eating disorders need to attend eating disorder support groups meetings and conferences which help to get rid of their loneliness or a feeling of guilt for weight gain.

• Professionals of such groups help patients with various psychological strategies, share experiences and encourage patients for a better living.

Residential treatment is all about hospital based care where a patient gets treatment under the supervision of an able Doctor.

Image courtesy: eatingdisorderfoundation: childrens.com; eatingdisorderscleveland.