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Adolescents, especially young women, are susceptible to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. These disorders are marked by extremes in thoughts and behaviors regarding food and can be insidious, long-lasting, and life-threatening. Seeking professional help is important.
Many people who develop eating disorders do so during adolescence. Adolescents, especially young women, appear to be particularly susceptible to the thoughts and behaviors that constitute eating disorders. Many girls who have eating disorders in their teens continue to struggle with eating and body image issues into adulthood. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, up to 10 percent of young women in the United States have an eating disorder. Adolescent eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and a general category called Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
Virtually all adolescent eating disorders are marked by extremes in thoughts and behavior regarding food. For some diagnoses, it could be extreme dietary restriction, excessive exercise, or severe distress about weight and food intake. With other diagnoses, it could be extreme bingeing and possibly purging after binge drinking.
One of the main types of adolescent eating disorders is anorexia nervosa. The disease is characterized by a pronounced fear of weight gain, a distorted and unrealistic body image, and an inability or unwillingness to maintain a normal, healthy weight. Most adolescents with anorexia severely restrict food intake and may exercise excessively. Some teens with anorexia may vacillate between binging and purging large amounts of food and then restricting food intake again. The distinction between bulimia and this type of anorexia is that a young woman will be given a diagnosis of anorexia only if she is underweight and stops having her menstrual period.
Bulimia nervosa is another major eating disorder in adolescents. This disease is characterized by binging sessions followed by behaviors to try to undo or deny caloric intake. These compensatory behaviors can include vomiting, fasting, use of diuretics, and excessive exercise. Anorexia may be obvious due to the victim’s low body weight, but bulimia can be difficult to detect. Many teens with the disease maintain an average weight despite their behaviors.
Another diagnosis that a doctor may give a teen is Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (ED-NOS). A doctor may use this diagnosis when a patient meets most, but not all, of the criteria for a diagnosis of anorexia or bulimia. For example, some young women meet all the criteria for a diagnosis of anorexia, but still have regular menstrual periods. This category also includes binge eating disorder, which has become increasingly common. Binge eating disorder is characterized by eating extremely large amounts of food at one time, but without the compensatory behaviors common to bulimia.
Adolescent eating disorders can be insidious, long-lasting, and even life-threatening. Of all mental illnesses, anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate. If a person suspects that a friend or loved one might be suffering from an eating disorder, it is important to seek professional help.
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