Eating disorders are caused by abnormal eating patterns. These could be overeating or inadequate food intake. Many people tend to eat more food to suppress extreme emotions and depression. They use the snacks and food indulged in as escape routes to deal with emotional stress or bad relationships. Some common eating disorders are anorexia, compulsive eating, binge eating and bulimia. These eating disorders are curable if they are detected in time and medical advice is followed. It is also possible to have multiple eating disorders. People who suffer from eating disorders become very weak emotionally. They use food as a medium to relieve themselves. Emotional support is the most essential requirement to treat these individuals.

Self-esteem problems are at the core of many eating disorders. They also play a role in other conditions, such as depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, self-injury and suicide. Depression may precede eating disorders and contribute to their onset. It has also been observed that living with the eating disorder leads to depression. (more…)

The statistics about eating disorders and who suffers from eating disorders might surprise or shock you. Eating/food disorders, including anorexia and bulimia, are more prevalent than you might imagine, and are also more serious than many people realize.

Here are some statistics about eating disorders to consider:

• About two percent of all female adolescents and young women have either anorexia or bulimia.
• About 90% of people with eating disorders are female.
• The average age when a person develops anorexia or bulimia is 17. But the condition has been diagnosed in children under the age of ten. It is rare to diagnose an eating disorder for the first time in someone over the age of 40.
• Without treatment, 20% of people with anorexia will die from the condition.
• With treatment, 2 – 3% of people with anorexia will die from the condition.
• Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder.
• Half of all anorexics also show symptoms of bulimia. (more…)

Today not only are famous people affected with eating disorders but the normal people are as well. Yet when people think of famous people with eating disorders the name that springs to most peoples minds is that of Karen Carpenter, who suffered from anorexia.

Along with her brother Richard she had formed the group known as “The Carpenters” and would play to large audiences around the world. Yet through out the time she was battling with anorexia and it was only after her death at the age of 32 in 1983 that it came to light she suffered from this particular eating disorder.

As with all anorexia sufferers because they choose to not eat correctly or sufficient amounts of food they actually put large amounts of strain on to their body. Karen Carpenter actually suffered a heart attack and this was the main cause of her death.

With Karen’s sudden demise it brought focus on to eating problems and certainly for those who had never heard of anorexia before they became more aware. Yet even after Karen Carpenter’s premature death there were plenty of people who were unwilling to recognize just how potentially dangerous not just anorexia or other eating disorders can be. (more…)