AskDrRachel.com

Eating Disorders

By Rachel Franklin, M.D., “Your Family Doc”

OU Physicians Family Medicine

Although my focus in these blogs is primarily on helping you Lighten Up and adopt other healthy behaviors, I wanted to take a moment to talk to you about recognizing and helping those who suffer from eating disorders.

Up to one in ten Americans is believed to suffer from warning signs of an eating disorder.  Disordered eating habits can lead to nutritional deficiencies, osteoporosis, fatigue, and in the most severe cases, heart damage and death.  Most of those who suffer are girls and young women, particularly those who participate in sports such as figure skating, gymnastics and dance, in which physical appearance is as important a component of success as skill is.  In recent years, however, we have seen an increase in eating disorders among young men.  Much of this increase is attributed to the media images that now bombard men as much as women, of taut bodies impossibly perfected, in many cases through photo retouching.

In both of the primary conditions, anorexia nervosa and bulimia, the person suffers from an inappropriately-negative body image, believing themselves to be fat when they are not.  In a disordered attempt to control his or her body shape, the person adopts certain behaviors that can be recognized by a friend or loved one who is alert to the condition.  Watch for a friend who appears to be losing too much weight or who is of normal weight but frequently makes comments about how “fat” he or she is.  If you see someone you love who seems overly preoccupied, remember the following warning signs and help them get help.

• Anorexia Nervosa.  An anorexic will severely restrict his or her calorie intake in an effort to lose weight or prevent weight gain.  Watch for your friend who always finds reasons to eat alone, or who frequently exhibits signs of inadequate food intake, such as fainting spells, irritability and a sallow complexion that might signal nutritional deficiency.  Watch, too, for evidence of excessive exercise and of purging, such as bad breath, eroded teeth, or finding laxatives in their desk when you go to borrow a pen.
• Bulimia nervosa.  The hallmarks of bulimia are bingeing and purging. Many bulimics are actually normal weight or a little overweight because it is impossible to truly empty the stomach by vomiting or using laxatives.  If your friend is always excusing herself to go to the bathroom shortly after finishing a large meal, it’s a possible warning sign.  As with anorexia, bulimics will try to “purge” calories through exercise.

If you believe your friend or loved one suffers from an eating disorder, find a private moment to talk to them about your concerns for their health.  If you believe your child suffers, schedule an appointment with your Family Doctor or Pediatrician.  Treatment can be successful – if you act as soon as you suspect an eating disorder.  And if you’re wrong, then hey, you showed that you care.

I’m still looking for good topics to cover for the blog.  Please remember to email april-sandefer@ouhsc.edu or contact OU Physicians at 405-271-5067 if you have ideas you’d like to read about in this column.  Here’s to your good health!

Dr. Franklin is a board certified family medicine specialist. Her areas of special interest include preventive health and wellness and women’s and children’s health. Her advice has been featured in outlets including The Learning Channel, Parents Magazine and FitPregnancy. For an appointment with Dr. Franklin or any of the OU Physicians Family Medicine physicians, call 405-271-4311