Eating Disorder and Adolescence

When are the eating disorders in adolescence, is very complex and delicate in its approach. Professionals and experts reiterated the need to establish indicators for prevention.

It is our intention to help readers learn more about this disorder that unfortunately every year in Europe increases the number of cases.

Before addressing eating behavior disorder be ruled by any other physiological origin diagnostic tests prescribed by professionals.

Eating Disorders with the highest penetration in the adolescent population

Keep in mind that there are mixed forms of the disorders presented below, ie, anorexia can be accompanied by periodic binge.

Body Mass Index ˟

We consider a body mass index (BMI) for adults between 18.5 and 25. For children and adolescents is a function of age and sex. As an example of normal weight values ​​would be a 12 year old with a BMI 17.5.

BMI (body mass index)=  weight(kg) / height(m²)

Anorexia Nervosa

-  Body weight exceeding 15% below normal weight for age and sex. It will correspond to a BMI value below 15.4 for a girl of 12 years or less of 17.7 from 16.

- Symptoms associated with intense fear of weight gain, distorted body image, food rituals regarding food classification tolerable and intolerable and a high degree of perfectionism.

- Slimming volunteer.

- It comes with a much higher frequency in women than in men, approximately tenfold.

- The population covered in age between 12 to 28 years with a higher frequency at 15

Bulimia Nervosa

- Binge eating regularly and without control, you can consume 2,000 to 10,000 calories in a very short period of time (between 20 and 30 minutes).

- Purge later by vomiting or using laxatives.

- Maximum frequency at age 18.

- It is difficult to recognize by the circle closest to the teen because BMI is usually placed in the range 20-25.

- Boundaries between anorexia and binge eating are very fuzzy.

Binge Eating Disorder

- Between two or three times a week major binge in which can consume between 1,000 and 3,000 calories in 20 or 30 minutes.

- No purging occurs later by vomiting or laxatives.

- Affects between 20% and 30% of obese people.

- Equally affects men and women.

Obesity

- Important overweight with serious risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, BMI is above 30 adults.

- Affects 10% in children and adolescents and 20% in adults and rising.

- Equally affects men and women.

The Beginnings

The risk of eating disorders increases with the onset of puberty, since, at that time, the external appearance is increasingly important in self-esteem and can cause the impression to colleagues and your social circle. 

Within this framework are the girls who suffer greater pressure to be thin. It is the reason why adolescents suffer ten times as anorexia or bulimia than men of the same age.

To all this we add conflictual family environment, school problems often motivated by their own self-improvement level required and today is particularly relevant taking sports or artistic activities in which physical image is required with some established patterns relation to body mass, weight, etc ... motivates appears unconscious fixation to the body and eating behavior.

Warning Signs and answers

Some warning signs are:

1. The child feels despite slimming fat or underweight has its share.

2. Rituals striking when eating, chewing for a long time, staring for long periods dish, choose the food to eat in the same plate, crumble food, etc ...

3. Denial of hunger despite not having eaten food for a large time.

4. Excessive physical exercise in order to "burn" anything ingested.

5. Compulsive behavior.

6. Vomiting after meals (frequent trips to the bathroom)

7. It feeds on the sly

8. Steals food and hides food in his room or the whole house.

 

The answers, of course, goes through a continuous observation for a reasonable time to ensure it is anomalous behavior and once verified that it is not normal behavior, without hesitation, go to the professionals for advice, diagnosis and clinical follow.

This can indicate that the former would be good answers:

- Try to see the child as a whole, of course, never criticize your diet and figure.

- Educate and show the benefits of good nutrition for their age.

- If Slimming obvious way to see a doctor to rule out any organic cause.

- Never set a self treatment. It is a problem that can remain for years if not treated qualified professionals.

- Never press or distress the child. It is interesting to make him share in the food choices, on the other hand will help us assess how behavior evolves.

- It is very convenient, depending on the degree of confidence, that is the adolescent who decides to share sessions with parents or not. Parents will always be informed by professional evolution.

Conclusion

In the clinical diagnosis of a disorder in eating behavior as parents have to understand that something has gotten out of hand and we have failed to prevent it. So it is very important to interpret indicators we emit our children in all fields, in the food even more so.

On the other hand, in the time when the diagnosis of the disorder is "name", involve all actors involved in the social circle, educational, recreational, etc ... the child to ensure an effective intervention in the problem.

by iBonis Project

Sources: ICD-10 and DSM-IV / DSM-V

Recognizing & Preventing adolescent eating disorders and muscularity problems. L.Smolak and M. P. Levine. The prevention Researcher.