Development of Eating Disorders in Adolescents
Development of Eating Disorders in Adolescence
The purpose of this paper is to bring awareness about the development of eating disorders during the adolescent years. Eating Disorders are a serious psychology disorder characterized by severe abnormal eating behaviors. These behaviors can range from insufficient amount of food intake, extreme episodes of overeating, purging, and obsessive preoccupation with food or weight. Eating disorders can lead to heart problems, osteoporosis, seizures, digestion problems, amenorrhea, kidney damage, tooth decay, and sometimes even death. It is estimated that eight million people in America have an eating disorder, and it is the third most common illness among female adolescents (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2003). These growing numbers have made it important to find out what causes the disorder, how to treat it, and most importantly, how to prevent it.
Adolescence is a time of physical, cognitive and social change that everybody goes through at some point in the life, although some may start earlier or later than others. Entering puberty and becoming an adolescent is one of the most stressful times of a person’s life, because it is stressful both mentally and physically. This is a time when they begin to discover who they really are as they seek to be more independent from their parents and have more responsibility, all while their bodies are drastically changing. During puberty, a time when your body becomes sexually mature, the body’s height and weight naturally increases. The amount of weight gained depends on nutrition, activities, and how much the basal metabolic rate decreases, usually about fifteen percent (Burrows, A. & Cooper, M., 2002). Typically boys will get more muscle and girls gain more fat, especially around their hips to prepare for child bearing.
Entering into your adolescent years is confusing, stressful and emotional. Some teenagers develop from adolescence into early
The purpose of this paper is to bring awareness about the development of eating disorders during the adolescent years. Eating Disorders are a serious psychology disorder characterized by severe abnormal eating behaviors. These behaviors can range from insufficient amount of food intake, extreme episodes of overeating, purging, and obsessive preoccupation with food or weight. Eating disorders can lead to heart problems, osteoporosis, seizures, digestion problems, amenorrhea, kidney damage, tooth decay, and sometimes even death. It is estimated that eight million people in America have an eating disorder, and it is the third most common illness among female adolescents (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2003). These growing numbers have made it important to find out what causes the disorder, how to treat it, and most importantly, how to prevent it.
Adolescence is a time of physical, cognitive and social change that everybody goes through at some point in the life, although some may start earlier or later than others. Entering puberty and becoming an adolescent is one of the most stressful times of a person’s life, because it is stressful both mentally and physically. This is a time when they begin to discover who they really are as they seek to be more independent from their parents and have more responsibility, all while their bodies are drastically changing. During puberty, a time when your body becomes sexually mature, the body’s height and weight naturally increases. The amount of weight gained depends on nutrition, activities, and how much the basal metabolic rate decreases, usually about fifteen percent (Burrows, A. & Cooper, M., 2002). Typically boys will get more muscle and girls gain more fat, especially around their hips to prepare for child bearing.
Entering into your adolescent years is confusing, stressful and emotional. Some teenagers develop from adolescence into early
References: Burrows, A. & Cooper, M. (2002, September). Possible Risk Factors in the Development of Eating Disorders in Overweight Pre-adolescent Girls Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Vol 70, No. 5, 1119-1128. Journal of Adolescent Health. (2003). Eating Disorder in Adoloscents: Position Paper of the Society for Adolescent Medicine Leon, G.R., Fulkerson, J.A., Perry, C.L., Cudeck, R. (1993). Personality and Behavioral Vulnerabilities Associated With Risk Status for Eating Disorders in Adolescent Stanford University School of Medicine. (1996). Weight Concerns Influence the Development of Eating Disorders: A 4-Study Prospective Study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Pyschology