Abstract This paper evaluates research related to the role of body dissatisfaction in the prevalence of eatingdisorders in women. The author points out that it is expected that there are a number of key components of these disorders, many of which are related to body dissatisfaction and other significant personality traits. The paper relates that eatingdisorders are a problem of today's media-hyped society.
From the Paper "In modern society, there is a tremendous push for all things thin, and this is primarily focused on the desire for males and females to look like the people that they see in magazines. Although these individuals may look desirable, they are not the norm, as the average person does not typically resemble that which is represented on magazine covers. However, many individuals, especially females, strive to be as thin as possible in order to satisfy their own objectives and to become attractive to others. In order to obtain this thin image, many women will often turn to eating disorders as a means of escaping a poor body image. This unfortunate set of circumstances is all too real in today's media-hyped society, and these issues possess detrimental consequences for those that accept this route."
Abstract A paper on eatingdisorders and Western society. Eatingdisorders are evidently on the increase, with more and more people falling prey to this malady. The paper attributes this rise to poor nutritional habits, following the super-slender fashion fads, coping with familial problems and genetics.
Abstract This paper reviews the problem of eatingdisorders. The paper explains that the causes of eatingdisorders are multiple and that risk factors include sexual abuse, media risks, and college stress.
From the Paper "This research explores how eating issues and disorders are related to body satisfaction, maladaptive eating behaviors, self-esteem and sexual satisfaction. Anorexia nervosa has become prevalent in Western societies. Females from middle and upper-class families were literally starving themselves to death. By the next decade bulimia nervosa had emerged. Some women with this disorder starved themselves and then binged and purged to rid themselves of what they had eaten. Others simply binged and purged. Prior to these focuses obesity had been..."
Abstract An overview of several studies devoted to finding the causes of eatingdisorders among women of high-school and college age.
From the Paper "Eating disorders are a serious problem that plagues many young adults today. For many years researchers have tried to find specific causes of onset amongst the various types of people it effects. Some of the research is examining the possibility of a genetic basis for these disorders. Other research tests the surrounding life events and their effects on disordered eating or body image. Also, researchers have looked into personal evaluations of weight, body size and image and their contributions to anorexia nervosa and bulimia."
Abstract This paper details the assessment and diagnosis of a 39-year-old female with an eatingdisorder and depression. Assessment instruments are evaluated and treatment options are discussed as well as the case study's history.
Abstract This paper presents a critical analysis of the article "Psychological Characteristics and Biofeedback Mitigation in Preadolescents with EatingDisorders" by Nada.
Abstract This paper is an examination of the effect that the North American mass media has upon eatingdisorders afflicting men, women and children. Among other things, this paper suggests that society has allowed itself to be repackaged to suit the needs of corporations, rather than compelling these corporations to serve the needs and interests of consumers. In the final analysis, the paper concludes by suggesting that the contemporary media has failed in its role to inform and instruct the average citizen, preferring instead to produce imagery that is harmful and destructive to a great many North Americans.
From the Paper "The extent to which the media shapes how we see ourselves has been hotly debated for many years; as eating disorders in North American society become ever more pervasive among young people, the importance of this debate grows apace. With that in mind, this paper will argue that the contemporary media conflates beauty with thinness to such an extent that many young people feel compelled to make unhealthy lifestyle choices that invariably include poor and self-destructive eating habits. This paper will be divided into three broad sections. The first of these sections will examine the relationship between images presented in the mass media and eating disorders in women."
This paper addresses the types of eatingdisorders and statistics regarding these disorders. It also talks about the types of treatments and cultural differences.
Abstract This paper explains how eatingdisorders are mental disorders presented as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating, and EatingDisorder Not Otherwise Specified, or EDNOS. The need for action is called upon and statistically proven. This paper argues that communication, therapy, feeding intervention, and support groups are needed to fight this phenomenon. It explains that, in all cultures and races, intervention is the key to improvement and prevention and therefore, includes the family, students, teachers, administrators, and community organizations. It shows how a comprehensive school health plan must be created and implemented to prevent the increase of eatingdisorders. The promotion of acceptance of all people must be infused in daily curriculum. These character traits must be modeled by the teachers and administrators in order to make a maximum impact.
From the Paper "The term eating disorders usually includes anorexia nervosa, bulimia, nervosa, binge eating disorder, and EDNOS (eating disorders not otherwise specified). Although eating disorders deal with food, they are considered a psychological disorder. Siegel, Brisman, and Weindhel (1998) state that" many aspects of eating disorders are not apparent to an outside observer." Healthy People places eating disorders under the category of mental health and disorders. According to Healthy People, "mental disorders are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof), which are associated with distress and/or impaired functioning" (www.health.gov). These disorders can lead to many health problems including tooth decay, ulcers, loss of menstruation, and death. In addition to the obvious dangers, eating disorders affect people of all "racial and ethnic groups, both genders, and all educational and socioeconomic groups" in the United States (www.health.gov). As educators it is our job to protect the health and future of the children, especially since eating disorders can lead to school failure and lower academic performance. Eating disorders affect children at a young age and "often persist into adulthood and have among the highest death rates of any mental disorder" (www.health.gov). A study done by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (1996) shows that eighty-six percent of Americans report onset of an eating disorder before the age of twenty. Clearly this is within the educators range of responsibility. Eating disorders are a silent epidemic that needs to be stopped."
Abstract This paper presents a discussion on eatingdisorders, focusing on the two main types of eatingdisorders known as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The paper describes the psychological elements of the disorders, their physical, psychological and sociological effects, and the therapies available for treating them. The paper also briefly addresses the subject of men and eatingdisorders.
Table of Contents
Psychological Elements of EatingDisorders Physical, Psychological and Social Effects
What Therapies are available?
A Word about Men
Conclusion
From the Paper "For most of us, eating is just something we do to meet the energy needs of our bodies. But for others, eating can meet many other kinds of needs. We eat when we are happy, such as at a party, sad, as when we are at a funeral. Even religious rituals are associated with either eating or even fasting. We eat when we go out with friends; it is a bonding activity when we go out for a date. Our television commercials are filled with different types of food we eat and even children are bombarded with what certain types of food will do for them, i.e. make them popular or better at sports. Interestingly, despite this increased interest in food we have seen a changed attitude toward body shape over the last half century. Many years ago, women who had full breast and hips were felt to represent fertility and sexuality. Now the ideal woman is considered to be thin, many times unhealthily think. For this reason, dieting is now very common. There is spoken and unspoken prejudice toward the overweight and being fat is associated with being lazy and unattractive. It is no wonder that in the last years, we have seen the development of eating disorders in both men and women alike."
Abstract The paper addresses the topic of eatingdisorders and explains that there are three well-known eatingdisorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eatingdisorder. The author relates that all of these disorders are now recognized as diseases and they have spread from America around the world as women and girls become obsessed about their weight and body image. The paper illustrates how eatingdisorders are dangerous and can be fatal if left untreated. The paper concludes that a shift in public awareness and understanding can help control these diseases.
From the Paper "Perhaps the most well known eating disorder is anorexia nervosa, usually referred to as anorexia. It has also been known as the "starving disease." Women (and some men) literally eat next to nothing, as they are obsessed with gaining weight and appearing fat or overweight. Many people do not know anorexia has been written about for centuries, but it is more common today because of societal demands on women to be thin. A typical anorexic will eat almost nothing and/or exercise compulsively to sustain a body weight that is at least 85 percent under what doctors consider to be normal body weight. In addition, anorexics usually do not see themselves as too thin, and they worry about gaining any amount of weight, even a pound. They do not see reality, and obsess about being fat, even when they are almost skeletons. In older girls and women, anorexia can also affect monthly menstrual cycles, causing them to disappear (Smolak, Levine, and Striegel-Moore xvi). For a diagnosis, all of these items must be present, and the menstrual cycles must have ceased for at least three months."
Abstract This paper talks about the seriousness of eatingdisorders among adolescents and young adults, reviews literature regarding these disorders, and suggests that it is important to raise awareness levels of the problem in order to effectively combat it. The articles reviewed are appended to the paper.
From the Paper "Eating disorders are a big health care problem in the United States. Adolescents in particular, are a most vulnerable group and an increasing number suffer from anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders. Primarily a psychiatric condition, eating disorders can lead to serious consequences if they are not properly identified and treated. Statistics indicate that around .5% of adolescents are Anorexics while the prevalence of Bulimia nervosa is even higher ranging between .5% and 5.8%. Statistics also indicate that around 25% of college going women have a very high risk of developing eating disorders. However the exact figures of the number of people affected by these psychiatric conditions is still elusive as most often the disorder goes unidentified. Adolescents become easy victims to these disorders particularly in our western world where beauty is associated with slim and slender figures. In view of its wide prevalence and deranging effect on the physical and mental wellbeing of the affected individuals as well as the hidden nature of the disorder, it is imperative to increase the awareness about these psychiatric problems among the adolescent community. A review of related literature would help provide a better perspective of the problem."
Abstract The paper looks at the seriousness of the problem of eatingdisorders among young female athletes and some possible explanations for why these young women succumb to eatingdisorders that end their athletic careers or even their lives. The paper argues that the sporting society needs to adjust its focus when it comes to what measures will allow for athletic success. The paper discusses the importance of young women being prepared to challenge unrealistic body type images in the popular media and listen to their bodies and to the medical evidence, rather than to a coach.
From the Paper "To start with, female athletes are more likely than male athletes to use induced vomiting as a means of losing weight. In a related vein, female athletes looking to "shed a few pounds" are perceptibly more likely then their male counterparts to use laxatives as a chief means of doing so. The troubling use of laxatives is often accompanied by the even more troubling misuse of diet pills by female athletes. Lastly, an exhaustive study undertaken by the National Collegiate Athletic Association Study reveals that, while young male athletes have a "low" (but acceptable) boy fat count over-all, female athletes register "abnormally low" in the body fat development (Johnson et al, 1999). Findings such as this one are deeply unsettling insofar as young men and women - for the most part - play the same sports today yet women seem to desire getting smaller much more so than their young male counterparts."
This is a research paper done on eatingdisorders, focusing on the prevention of them. It involves summary of important research on the subject as well as a unique proposed study.
2,540 words (approx. 10.2 pages), 2 sources, 2000, $ 76.95
Abstract This research paper is on the success of education to prevent eatingdisorders. It involves both summary of important research done prior to the writing of the paper and a proposal for a new study different from research that has been done before. The author describes the effect of preventative courses on the onset of eatingdisorders in young adolescent girls.
From the Paper ?The course will entail several of the aspects already mentioned. It will involve education about eating disorders ? specifically what they are, exactly what people with eating disorders do, and consequences of eating disorders. Examples, testimonies and pictures of girls with eating disorders will be presented. The course will also involve instruction on maintaining a healthy diet ? the girls will receive information on what a healthy, balanced diet involves and how to follow it. In order to teach the girls about keeping a positive attitude about their bodies, leader guided discussion and personal reflection will take place. Famous role models who have overcome society's standards for the "perfect body" will be introduced (not personally). Girls will also be involved in self-esteem boosting activities.?
Abstract In the course of nursing practice, nurses will frequently encounter female clients with eating orders and/or obesity. This is because there are so many people in our society who have these conditions. For example, we frequently hear that Western society has an obesity epidemic. This paper will argue that nurses should focus their practice on counselling women to accept and be happy with their bodies, while attempting to live a healthy lifestyle and take adequate exercise. Nurses should not be part of the system that coerces women to diet, with frequently devastating consequences.
Abstract This paper studies the correlation between media exposure and resulting body image disturbance/eatingdisorder symptoms in the light of a recent research. It examines the impact and presents some latest developments in research findings in this area especially the concept of internationalization, which was largely ignored in earlier studies on the subject.
From the Paper "In a media-saturated culture like the one we have in the United States, the influence of media-promoted images on our perception of what is good, healthy, beautiful and desirable has often been discussed and in most cases vehemently criticized. Research indicates that female adolescents are increasingly being subjected to unhealthy body images in print and electronic media resulting in the rise of eating disorders cases. With media presenting us with images of super-thin women who are projected as symbols of success, eating disorders are unarguably on the rise among young women. This is the result of distorted body image or body image disturbance that occurs when people, both men and women, overestimate their body size and harbor chronic thoughts about dieting, weight loss and consumption of fat. Body image distortion leads to unhealthy dietary habits where people start consuming less food with lower nutritional value and as the result suffer from eating disorders including bulimia and anorexia nervosa."
