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Brooke Van Veen

Dr. Pry
English 112
April 2015
Why Should We Care About Eating Disorders?
Eating disorders control the lives of millions of people all over the world. Whether it be
anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS), they
wreak havoc on peoples bodies and minds. Although this is obviously a prevalent issue in
America as well as the rest of the world, it is not always easy to get access to treatment for these
issues. Because eating disorders are mental illnesses, it is harder to get coverage for treatment
than it is to get treated for a physical ailment. Eating disorders pose a serious threat to the lives of
millions of people, and they should be recognized as a problem that needs to be fixed instead of a
mental issue or phase that insecure women go through.
The most common eating disorder is binge eating disorder, which is defined as
consuming large quantities of food in a short period of time. This can be caused by lack of self
control, depression or anxieties, or other mental issues. The slightly less common but still
prevalent eating disorder is bulimia. Bulimia is similar to binge eating disorder in the sense that
bulimic people will consume large amounts of food in a short period of time. However, due to
the guilt of eating so much food, they force themselves to vomit in an attempt to avoid absorbing
the food. After bulimia comes the less popular anorexia. Anorexia is defined as an obsessive
desire to lose weight by refusing to eat, or by restricting calorie intake and exercising profusely
("General Information | National Eating Disorders Association.").

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Although not all cases of eating disorders are reported, roughly 3.7% of women in
America experience anorexia in their lifetime and roughly 4.2% of women in America
experience bulimia in their lifetime. Many people consider eating disorders a womans disease,
but males make up about 10-15% of the people with some type of known eating disorder. 3.7%
and 4.2% may seem to be small numbers, however that is equal to about 259,000,000 294,000,000 people. Considering the fact that about 13.1% of people with eating disorders will
die because of their disorder, these numbers are far too high to ignore (ANAD).
Of all mental illnesses, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate (ANAD). The
main causes of death due to eating disorders include organ failure and malnutrition. Anorexia and
bulimia can have extremely negative effects of the body. For example, anorexia is known to
cause low blood pressure and heart palpitations, which can then lead to heart failure and death.
Anorexia can also cause the hair to thin and skin to bruise easily, anemia and other blood
problems, kidney failure, and osteoporosis. Along with these serious long term effects are the
short term effects of malnutrition which include weakness, dizziness, confusion and constantly
feeling cold ("Anorexia Nervosa.").
Similarly, bulimia does not treat the body very well either. Long term effects of bulimia
include all of the same effects of anorexia due to the lack of nutrition. Along with those effects,
bulimia can seriously damage the stomach and esophagus due to the frequent vomiting. Bulimia
can cause cavities and gum disease, and it can cause stomach ulcers along with the possibility of
the esophagus and/or stomach rupturing ("Bulimia Nervosa.").
Along with all of these physical short and long term effects that anorexia and bulimia can
cause, suicide is the third main cause of death for people who suffer from eating disorders. At
least half of people with eating disorders have some form of depression. Because anorexia and

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bulimia are often caused by the person wanting to be able to control their body image, they are
also very likely to be extremely self-conscious and vulnerable. Many eating disorders are also
accompanied by self harm and suicidal thoughts. The shame that comes with eating or gaining
weight for someone who suffers from an eating disorder is so strong that it can cause their
depression to spiral downward and out of control (ANAD).
Eating disorders are often a prevalent issue when it comes to athletics. It is thought that
over half of females who participate in sports such as gymnastics, figure skating, and
synchronized swimming have some sort of eating disorder. Because those sports tend to put an
emphasis on being thin, it can cause many athletes to be very restrictive of their calorie intake.
Comments from judges and coaches can also set some of those athletes of the edge and cause
them to risk their health in order to stay thin (Thompson).
Because these athletes are often training or competing, they require energy to do so. If an
athlete has an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, their calorie intake will be far too low
to give them sufficient energy to perform their sport. Athletes with eating disorders are more
likely to suffer from electrolyte imbalances and cardiac arrhythmias because of this. It is thought
that some athletes believe they will become better athletes by being strict with their calorie
intake, however the strenuous physical activities that they do make it more likely for them to
suffer from a sudden heart attack (Thompson).
Another area of concern for eating disorders is the more obvious realm of modeling.
Many people assume that because models are often extremely beautiful, that they would not be
self conscious about their appearance. However, according to one model Melissa Stetten, lots of
anorexic and bulimic women suffer from this thing called body dysmorphia...Its where you
think your body looks much different than it really does...I think my legs are way too big.

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Modeling exacerbated my insecurity (Stetten). Melissa also stated that, I know if I never had to
be skinny to pay my rent, I wouldnt have cared one bit about my thighs. I can't even imagine
how a girl who started modeling at 16 must feel. It's beaten into your brain that skinny is better
(Stetten).
Obviously the modeling industry places physical appearance on a high standard, and that
is understandable. However, having the idea of the skinnier the better on such a high standard
is not the way to go. Because Stetten and so many other models constantly had to hear other
people comment and talk about their bodies in a critical way, similar to judges talking about
athletes bodies, it causes emotional and mental trauma. They constantly are compared and
compare themselves to other models, and if they do not feel like the prettiest and the skinniest in
the room, then they do not feel good enough (Stetten).
Another hotspot for the beginnings of eating disorders is the media. According to a
journal about the role of media and eating disorders, womens magazines contained 10.5 times
as many diet promotions as mens magazines (Spettigue). Advertisements for diet plans and
beauty products thrive on the insecurities of girls and women to make a profit. Unfortunately, In
one survey, the number one wish of girls aged 1117 who were given three magic wishes for
anything they wanted was to lose weight and keep it off (Spettigue). Girls that young are not
even fully developed, and many of them are taking to eating disorders to get rid of the extra
weight that most of them probably do not actually have. Of course eating disorders are bad for
the body at any point, but they can have drastic long term effects if the body is not even fully
developed.
Another issue in the media is the shaming of plus sized women. Obviously in America
the rate of obesity is very high, so many women in America are plus sized. However, often plus

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sized models that advertize clothing for plus sized women are a very average size. According to
Anthony Higgins, director at MSA Models, A plus sized model, in the past, was a size 10-12
up to a size 18 for fashion. Now, they are calling a size 8 plus sized (Calabrese). He also stated
that models who are a size 6 are also considered plus sized. For catalog work...they will use a
size 8 because they think size 14 and 16 will relate to that person and size 4 and size 6 will relate
to that person. They do not use size 18 as much as they should for print (Calabrese).
Using these very average sized women as plus sized models puts more shame on
overweight women. If someone who is a size 16 for example sees that a size 6 is considered plus
sized, the size 16 person will certainly feel much larger than the size 6 person. Even if someone
is overweight and needs to lose weight, turning to starvation will certainly do more harm than
good. Some people think that if they just restrict their calorie intake for a few weeks, they will
lose a lot of weight very quickly. However, even if they do that, it is likely that they will either
return to their old eating habits and gain all of the weight back, or they will become trapped in
the eating disorder and have a long line of problems ahead of them.
Because the complications that come with these eating disorders are so serious,
professional treatment is often crucial in recovery. Although it is possible for someone to recover
on their own, it is extremely difficult. The goals of eating disorder treatment are to restore
normal weight and eating patterns, treat physical and mental complications associated with the
disorder, improve self-control and self-esteem, and to prevent relapse in the end. The most
effective treatment for anorexia and bulimia includes a doctor, therapist, nutritionist, and a
psychiatrist. This is because effective treatment must address the physical ailments that the
disorder caused, healthy meal planning, and the mental issues that cause and are caused by the
disorder ("Eating Disorders.").

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Because multiple specialists must be involved for effective treatment, it is hard to gain
access to this treatment. Many insurance companies do not cover full treatment of eating
disorders. Because the disorders are complex, they do not always yield the same results after
treatment. The best way to treat an eating disorder is also not known for sure. Based on that
level of uncertainty, many victims of eating disorders have trouble finding any access to
treatment at all. Eating disorders and other mental illnesses are not the only things that insurance
companies are hesitant to cover. Any condition that has both physical and behavioral aspects,
such as type 2 diabetes, causes question as to whether or not the treatment will effectively change
the behavior of the person ("Eating Disorders.").
Another issue with the treatment, or lack thereof, of eating disorders is the mindset that
many people have towards the disorder. If family members, friends, or any outsider really does
not fully understand the capacity of the mental illness, it can negatively affect the victim. An
example of underestimating the disorder is if a family member or friend simply tries to force
someone with anorexia to eat. Chevese Turner, who has been treated for binge eating disorder for
about twenty years said, People think: Just tell her to eat, or Tell her to stop eating, or go on
a diet, they dont realize that this is a serious mental health issue (Kulkarni). Saying these types
of things to someone suffering from an eating disorder is the equivalent of telling someone who
is addicted to heroin to just stop doing heroin. It is not nearly that simple, and if it was, then it
would not be such a problem in the first place.
Recognizing eating disorders as a treatable issue is crucial in the recovery of the victims.
Millions of people in America suffer from eating disorders, but not nearly enough of them will
ever get the help that they need. Unfortunately many of them will die before ever considering
treatment, and some will die because they were unable to receive treatment. Keeping an eye out

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for signs of someone with an eating disorder can have the chance of saving their life. Trying to
convince them to just eat is not the way to approach the situation. Reaching out to those who
suffer from eating disorders in a helpful, caring manner is crucial. Putting an emphasis on health
rather than putting an emphasis on thinness is a better way to approach models, athletes, and
everyday people.