Eating Disorders
Many people suffer from eating disorders. This issue is common in many teenagers and the young. At this age, people become aware of the physical body changes due to the increase in the level of understanding as well as hormonal changes. An increase in the size of the abdomen and body parts is sustainable to some extent; but, when it comes to overeating foods, this increase is not desirable. At this stage, it is crucial for young people to reflect on diet, exercise and such things though they may fail. This failure may lead people to eating disorders.
What is Eating Disorder?
Eating disorders include a wide range of wrong eating habits. Often times, this term is applied as unhealthy eating habits and excessive concern about body changes. A clear example of this term is restrictive eating or yo-yo diets (a model of a diet with which a person tries to lose weight, but he gains the previous weight back after a while).
Such things, as well as lack of attention to body real reactions (such as being hungry or full), may also take place and lead to harmful habits. If eating disorder goes untreated, it eventually brings social and psychological disruptions. Eating disorders make people physically, mentally and socially weak; and they play a significant role in mental disorder deaths.
How does an eating disorder grow?
One of the most common and unquestionable reasons for the development of eating disorders is social pressure. Teenagers and the young are under the influence of the propaganda that underweight is much better than overweight, underweight is crucial in social presence and attractiveness. Thinness glorification on TV and social media constantly instills in the audience that a skinny body makes them look prettier, feel better and get validations from others.
The problem is the fact that some brands benefit from public body concerns. According to the researches between 2000 and 2018, global eating disorder statistics increased from 3.4% to 7.8%. The ratio of these figures with the increase in the profit of the weight loss industry (more than 72 billion dollars in 2018) is absolutely considerable.
Social pressure is not the only cause of eating disorders. Another cause is excessive health concerns.
Examining the ingredients of the food we eat and excessive attention to its energy and calories is one of the effects of living in the industrial age, excessive attention to it may create an unhealthy psychological relationship with food for us and ultimately lead to unhealthy eating behaviors.
We are constantly surrounded by advertisements telling us how we should eat! When to eat! And how eating something makes us feel! These messages are probably not the only reason for the formation of bad eating habits; Rather, they are the root of the problem.
How to treat eating disorders?
Eating disorder treatment is difficult; but can be solved and it that requires persistence and patience since it depends on public physical, social and mental health. The best solution is consulting with a reliable and well-known health expert.
What are the recommendations for intermittent treatment of eating disorders:
As mentioned, eating disorder treatment requires consultation with a nutrition and health expert; But in general, there are some tips for intermittent treatment of eating disorders:
- While eating, ask yourself if you are enjoying the food you are eating. Stop every now and then and enjoy the food you eat and allow it to associate with your body.
- Avoid strict restrictive rules imposing what and how much you should consume. Note that studies are still investigating how much of food actually has positive and negative effects.
- Try respecting the ingredients in your food and avoid obsessing too much about it. Attention to the amount of calories in a food takes away the pleasure of eating.
- Changing a long-term formed habit takes time. Remind yourself of this fact and accept that changing a habit is a time-consuming process.
In Conclusion
As mentioned, eating disorders make a person physically, mentally and socially weak; and have a significant impact on the statistics of deaths caused by mental disorders. Keep in mind that you should receive advice and guidance from your doctor on your physical and mental health before such disorders get severe and irreparable.