Defining Eating Disorders

1. Defining Eating
Disorders

2. Defining Eating Disorders Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa
Dr. David Herzog, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School,
is a prominent expert on eating disorders. He founded and directed the
Harvard Eating Disorders Center and the Harris for Education and Advocacy in
Eating Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Herzog played a
leadership role in educating providers, school professionals and parents on the
early identification and treatment of eating disorders. He and his staff
authored educational materials throughout the year, including a newsletter
and information for teachers, coaches, guidance counselors and others who
are in contact with at-risk populations.

3. Defining Eating Disorders Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are serious, complex psychiatric conditions
that are most often diagnosed during adolescence or young adulthood and are more
common in females. Individuals with these conditions are preoccupied with the size
and shape of their bodies and attach extreme importance to thinness. Those with
anorexia nervosa are intensely afraid of gaining weight or becoming fat and impose
severe restrictions on their food intake, often to the point of semi-starvation.
Typically they have great difficulty acknowledging that they have a problem or need
help. People with bulimia nervosa engage in recurrent binge eating followed by
unhealthy behaviors (such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of diuretics or laxatives)
as efforts to keep the food eaten during a binge from resulting in weight gain.

4. Defining Eating Disorders Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa
What causes anorexia and bulimia nervosa? Although there are no definite
answers, scientists have discerned that the development of an eating disorder
is not attributable to any one variable. There are many contributing factors:
body dissatisfaction; dieting; societal emphasis on thinness; neurochemical
changes; obsessive thoughts and behaviors; genetics; personal or family
history of an eating disorder, obesity, substance abuse or depression; a
personal history of teasing; anxiety problems; perfectionism. Further research
will continue to shed light on the complexities of anorexia and bulimia
nervosa.