The topic I chose to write about is eating disorders. I decided to focus on two eating disorders: bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. I decided to research these two eating disorders because I wanted to learn any new information that there is on the disorders. I have researched these eating disorders, and learned about them in the past, however a lot of new information can develop over the years. .
Bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa are the two most widely recognized eating disorders. Bulimia usually begins in early adulthood and is most common in females. People who suffer from this disorder show great concern for their body weight. Bulimic people can suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety and depression. This disorder has periods of over indulging in foods followed by throwing up the food. If a person does this over and over it can result in dental decay, stomach rupture, ulcers, dehydration or other medical complications. Symptoms of bulimia can include swelling of their cheeks or jaw, and calluses on the backs of their hands. .
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a lack of appetite usually in young women. People with anorexia show signs of weakness and also may become nervous if they are around food. Another sign of anorexia in females is not menstruating. People with anorexia may be unhappy with their body after they lost a lot of weight. They tend to have a distorted image of their self; they may look in the mirror and their body may look bigger than it actually is. A lot of females that develop anorexia are dancers. Research shows that female dancers are more likely to become anorexic than their high school peers (Heilbrunn, 2003).
"Hamilton, who specializes in the emotional stresses of performance also estimates that 77 percent of female dancers currently dislike their bodies. Too often the pressure of appearance in sports, such as dancing, figure skating, gymnastics and cheerleading can lead to the erroneous belief that weight loss is the ticket to success in this highly competitive arena.