The document discusses eating disorders in women. It outlines the most common types - anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa - describing their symptoms. Statistics show women are more likely than men to develop eating disorders. Potential causes include cultural pressures to be thin, personal characteristics, psychological factors, biological factors, and family influences. Health consequences of the disorders are explained. Treatment involves psychotherapy, medical care, nutritional counseling, and sometimes medication. The document also summarizes a study on college women's ability to detect eating disorders based on symptoms.

1. Women and
Eating Disorders
By Cierra Ballesteros

2. Most Common Types of
Eating Disorders in Women

Anorexia Nervosa:


They diet, fast, and exercise too much.

The process of eating becomes an obsession.

There’s an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though
they are underweight.


Women eat little to nothing at all.
Menstrual periods are irregular or absent.
Bulimia Nervosa:

Women eat an extreme amount of food and then vomit or use laxatives
to rid the body of it.

Excessive exercising and fasting can also occur.

There is no control when they are eating excessively.

They also worry about their body weight.

3. Statistics
 Women are more likely than men to develop an eating
disorder. About 90% of people with anorexia or
bulimia are women.
 Between 0.5% to 3.7% of women suffer from anorexia
in their lifetime.
 Between 1.1% to 4.2% of women suffer from bulimia
in their lifetime.
 20% of women suffering from anorexia will die from
complications due to their disorder.

4. Causes of Eating Disorders
 Culture

Thinness is seen as attractive in United States culture. It
corresponds to success and popularity. The media displays
hyper thin models all the time and this leads to pressure to be
thin which can lead to eating disorders.
 Personal Characteristics

Helplessness, worthlessness, perfectionism and poor selfimage contribute to developing eating disorders.
 Psychological Factors

Conditions such as post traumatic stress disorder, depression,
panic disorder, and life stressors such as starting a new
school or job can all lead to eating disorders.

5. Causes of Eating Disorders
 Biologic Factors
 Genes, hormones, and chemicals in the brain
may play a part in developing eating disorders.
 Family
 Pressure from family to be thin or having a
relative that has had an eating disorder can lead
women to develop one themselves.

6. Health Consequences
 Anorexia Nervosa:
 Slow heart rate and low blood pressure.
 Muscle loss.
 Osteoporosis.
 Dehydration.
 Overall weakness.

7. Health Consequences
 Bulimia Nervosa:
 Electrolyte imbalances.
 Gastric rupture during periods of binging.
 Inflammation and possible rupture of esophagus.
 Tooth decay.
 Constipation.
 Peptic ulcers.

8. Treatment
 Psychotherapy
 It can be individual, group or family-based
psychotherapy.
 Medical Care
 Nutritional Counseling
 Medication
 Anti-depressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers.

9. A Study of College Women
Detecting Eating Disorders
 Question:

How accurate are college women in their judgments about
the point at which a target woman has an eating disorder,
based on symptoms of being underweight, exercising
excessively, limited caloric intake, and self-induced
vomiting?
 Method:

Four descriptions were created that began with a women
displaying acceptable behavior that becomes increasingly
more representative of an eating disorder. Variables
examined were weight, exercise behavior, caloric intake and
purging habits. In each description, one variable was made
increasingly severe. At this point participants were asked
whether the women had an eating disorder.

10. A Study of College Women
Detecting Eating Disorders
 Results:
 The results were different for each variable but overall it
was found that women diagnosed an eating disorder
before the behavior progressed to a dangerous level.
 This research is important because it is beneficial that
women can diagnose an eating disorder early. This
can lead to early intervention which is key to recovery.
Diagnosis too late may result in women delaying
treatment and symptoms getting worse.

11. Discussion Question
 How do you think eating disorders in women
can be prevented?
 Programs have been developed and evidence
shows that they are effective. Programs that
emphasize on promoting self-esteem, stress
management skills, and healthy weight control
behaviors all seem to be effective. Talking
about images of women in the media and how
it’s unrealistic for most women to look like that
may also be effective. Finally, we must not
compare women to others or be judgmental
about other people’s weight.

12. Works Cited

Eating disorders. (2010, September 22). Womenshealth.gov. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from
http://www.womenshealth.gov/body-image/eating-disorders/

Eating Disorders. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/index.shtml

Eating Disorders Statistics. (n.d.). ANAD. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://www.anad.org/getinformation/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/?gclid=COu3zsaFyLoCFRGi4AodKCMA_Q

Hyde, J. S., & Quest, N. (2013). Half the human experience: the psychology of women (8th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth Pub. Co..

Preventing Eating Disorders. (n.d.).Discovery Fit and Health. Retrieved November 4, 2013, from
http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/eating-disorder/preventing-eating-disorders.htm

Robertson, S. (n.d.). What Causes Eating Disorders?. News Medical. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from
http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Causes-Eating-Disorders.aspx

Types of Eating Disorders. (n.d.). Women's Health Zone. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from
http://www.womenshealthzone.net/eating-disorders/eating-disorders/types-effects/

Yost, M. R., & Smith, L. A. (2012). When does it cross the line? College women's perceptions of the threshold
between normal eating and eating disorders. Journal Of College Student Development, 53(1), 163-168.
doi:10.1353/csd.2012.0011