Eating Disorders

Eating disorders- a condition where people experience severe disturbances in their eating habits and their physical health. Classified as a mental illness, eating disorders cause people to become occupied with thoughts of what they’re eating and how much. It may include eating too much at a time or too little. The most common types of eating disorders include- Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder. All three can have fatal repercussions if left unaddressed and are equally

dangerous.

In recent times, a growing number of people, including young children, are suffering from eating disorders. Currently, about 9% of the world suffers from eating disorders. However, eating disorders seem to disproportionately affect women more than men. Statistically, women are twice as likely to suffer from such a disorder. It is important to make it clear that men do suffer from these disorders, but women seem to face the brunt of it.

There are many reasons behind it, including the society we live in and the unrealistic body expectations which are placed on women. Women are also more likely to be fat shamed for what they look like which leads to unhealthy relationship with their weight. In recent times, cultural pressure has made it so that women feel the need to lose weight, even if they are perfectly healthy. Since the mid-1990s, people have started viewing a thin body as the ideal. This is reflected even in the media we consume, where women are usually thin. This ideal for women has become internalised most girls from a young age. Young girls start to want to look like the women we see in our shows and movies. This has led to the rise in eating disorders among women, especially teenagers and young adults.

In many cases, eating disorders also lead to other mental disorders such as anxiety, depression and substance abuse. Without proper treatment for both, the emotional and physical symptoms of eating disorders, the results could potentially be fatal. If one suffers from such a disorder, it is necessary for them to seek out treatment. This can include medical care and monitoring, therapy or different forms of medication.