Anorexia nervosa is a complex medical and psychiatric illness in which a person is obsessed with body image and tries to maintain a weight far below what is deemed healthy for the person's age and height. It is not simply a desire to be as thin as models presented in the media, but often is a biologically based emotional issue coupled with psychological conditions.
The Facts
Of all known eating disorders, anorexia nervosa has the highest rate of death. As many as 15 percent of U.S. women in their teens and 20s may suffer from anorexia nervosa, and it is also the third most common chronic illness among adolescent U.S. females. However, anorexia is not limited to women; it is estimated that one in every four diagnosed cases of child anorexia nervosa is a male.
Symptoms
The most well-recognized symptom of anorexia nervosa is extreme weight loss or thin appearance, though people suffering from it may wear large clothing to hide their weight loss out of shame or the desire to be allowed to continue without being bothered by others. Sufferers may also display fatigue, constipation, intolerance of cold, irregular heart rhythms, low blood pressure and osteoporosis. A lack of emotion, excessive exercise and difficulty concentrating are also associated with this illness.
Risks
Anorexia nervosa has a high death rate when compared to other mental illnesses. A person does not necessarily even have to starve themselves, as death can occur suddenly from abnormal heart rhythms or electrolyte imbalances. Other risks associated with the illness are anemia, bone loss, lung problems, loss of menstruation in women and testosterone in men, and gastrointestinal and kidney problems. Severe malnutrition can also cause irreversible damage to all organs, including the brain and heart.
Causes
While some blame the media for the high rates of anorexia nervosa in the U.S., the truth is that promotion of thin figures can serve to trigger the illness, but do not cause it. Anorexia nervosa even existed in the Middle Ages, when more full-figured women were deemed attractive. A specific cause has yet to be identified, but it is likely a combination of biological, physiological and sociocultural factors. Often, this illness is paired with other conditions such as depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Pro-Anorexia
Beginning around the year 2000, a number of internet websites began to promote "Pro-Ana" or "Pro-Anorexia." This movement was in support of anorexia nervosa as a lifestyle, rather than as an illness to be overcome. Members shared tips on get even thinner and cut more calories and promoted themselves as a unified force. In 2008, the BBC reported a public outcry for banning of these groups on Facebook and MySpace, but both sites displayed reluctance to censor groups unless they violated their terms of use.
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