Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a minimally accepted body weight, intense fear of weight gain, and distorted body image. Inadequate calorie intake or excessive energy expenditure results in severe weight loss.

Causes, Incidence, And Risk Factors of Anorexia Nervosa:

The exact cause of anorexia nervosa is not known, but social attitudes towards body appearance and family factors are believed to play a role in its development. The condition usually occurs in adolescence or young adulthood. Anorexia nervosa is more common in women, affecting 1-2% of the female population and only 0.1-0.2% of males. Caucasian women who are high academic achievers and have a goal-oriented family or personality are the most common population segments that anorexia nervosa effects. Some experts have suggested that conflicts within a family may contribute to anorexia nervosa. It is thought that anorexia nervosa is a way for a child to draw attention away from marital problems, for example, and bring the family back together. Other psychologists have suggested that anorexia nervosa may be an attempt by young women to gain control and separate from their mothers. The causes, however, are still not well understood.

Treatments For Anorexia Nervosa

The biggest challenge in treating anorexia nervosa is having the patient recognize that their eating behavior is itself a problem, not a solution to other problems. This means that most individuals enter treatment when their condition is fairly advanced.

The purpose of anorexia nervosa treatment is first to restore normal body weight and eating habits, and then attempt to resolve psychological issues. Hospitalization may be indicated in some cases (usually when body weight falls below 30% of expected weight).

Supportive care by health care providers, structured behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, and anti-depressant drug therapy are some of the methods that are used for anorexia nervosa treatment. Severe and life-threatening malnutrition may require intravenous feeding.

Learn more about anorexia nervosa at the Brenner Children’s Hospital web sitehttp://www.brennerchildrens.org/.

 Anorexia Nervosa