Eating disorders among youths

In the United States, more than 11 million people are suffering from an eating disorder; many of these are children. The mortality rate for eating disorders is thought to be as high as 20 percent, making it the most lethal of all psychiatric illnesses.

There are three main types of eating disorders:

Anorexia, a condition in which a child refuses to eat adequate calories out of an intense and irrational fear of becoming fat

Bulimia, a condition in which a child grossly overeats (binging) and then purges the food by vomiting or using laxatives to prevent weight gain

Binge eating, a condition in which a child may gorge rapidly on food, but without purging

Eating disorders typically develop during adolescence or early adulthood. However, they can start in childhood too. With anorexia or bulimia, 85 to 95 percent are female; with binge eating it drops to 65 percent among females.

Anorexia in children and teens

Children and teens with anorexia have a distorted body image. People with anorexia view themselves as heavy, even when they are dangerously skinny.

Symptoms of anorexia include: anxiety, depression, perfectionism, or being highly self-critical dieting even when one is thin or emaciated excessive or compulsive exercising menstruation that becomes infrequent or stops strange eating habits, such as avoiding meals, eating in secret, monitoring every bite of food, or eating only certain foods in small amounts.

Anorexia can lead to several serious health problems. Those problems include: damage to major organs, especially the brain, heart and kidneys, irregular heartbeat, lowered blood pressure, pulse, body temperature and breathing rates and thinning of bones.

Bulimia in children and teens

Like children and teens with anorexia, young people with bulimia also fear weight gain and feel extremely unhappy with their bodies.

They will repeatedly eat too much food in a short amount of time. Often the child or teen senses a loss of control. Feeling disgusted and ashamed after overeating, young people with bulimia try to prevent weight gain by inducing vomiting or using laxatives, diet pills, diuretics, or enemas.

People with bulimia usually fluctuate within a normal weight range, although they may be overweight, too. As many as one out of every 25 females will have bulimia in their lifetime.

Symptoms of bulimia include: abusing laxatives and other treatments to prevent weight gain

bingeing on large amounts of food

excessive exercise

mood swings

regularly spending time in the bathroom after eating

scarring on knuckles from using fingers to induce vomiting

vomiting after eating

Complications can be serious. Stomach acids from chronic vomiting can cause:

damage to tooth enamel

inflammation of the esophagus

swelling of the salivary glands in the cheeks

Binge eating in children and teens

Binge eating is similar to bulimia. It includes chronic, out-of-control eating of large amounts in a short time, even to the point of discomfort. However, binge eaters do not purge the food through vomiting or other means. As a result, they tend to become overweight or obese.

Binge eaters may be struggling to handle their emotions. Anger, worry, stress, sadness, or boredom may trigger a binge. Often, binge eaters are upset about overeating and may become depressed.

The excess weight caused by binge eating puts your son or daughter at risk of these health problems:

heart disease

high blood pressure

type 2 diabetes

It is critical if you notice symptoms of an eating disorder that you call your child's doctor right away. Eating disorders are not overcome through sheer willpower. Your child will need treatment to help restore normal weight and eating habits. Treatment also addresses underlying psychological issues. The best results for recovery occur when eating disorders are treated at the earliest stages.

Some sobering statistics:

The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of all causes of death for females 15 24 years old.

A study by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reported that 5 10% of people with anorexia die within 10 years after contracting the disease; 18 20% will die within 20 years, and only 30 40% ever fully recover.

Anorexia is fatal in about one of every 10 cases. The most common causes of death include cardiac arrest, electrolyte imbalance, and suicide.

Written by Rick Jackson, Mental Health Behavioral Aide program supervisor, Northern Pines Mental Health Center. Spotlight on Children's Mental Health is provided by the Crow Wing County Local Advisory Council on Children's Mental Health.