Anorexia Nervosa Essay by Master Researcher

This paper describes anorexia nervosa, some of its causes and health consequences. The paper notes that this is a potentially life-threatening disorder, with its prevalence seen as a consequence of the social pressure to be thin at all costs. Research shows the nature of the disorder, its consequences, some of its causes, treatments, and its prevalence in the population, suggesting that the problem may be growing more common and that this could be a result of unrealistic expectations regarding body image. The paper discusses how anorexia is more common among females than males, though it can affect both. The disorder is estimated to be found in one of every two hundred females aged 12 to 18, with males accounting for only five to ten percent of all cases. Anorexia affects people of all races, though most of the sufferers are white. It is believed that this may reflect socio-economic factors more than racial factors.