Eating Disorders among Kids and Teenagers

Like any other disease, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia could happen to anybody else regardless of age and sex. Recent statistics conducted by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reveal that eight million people across United States have eating disorders, 90% of which are women.

The study conducted revealed that eating disorders develop when one enters puberty. It is on this period when kids undergo dramatic physical changes and when there is strong social pressure to stick to a certain 'ideal' image. During this period, kids become particularly concerned of their weight and usually end up with an obsession to stay stick-thin.

This obsession later on becomes eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia- eating disorders that cause dramatic weight fluctuations, health problems, and in worst cases, death.

Persons with anorexia have extreme fear of gaining weight. Anorexic people practically restrict their food intake by strict dieting and or fasting. On the other hand, persons with bulimia have binge periods, when they would eat unusually large amounts of food, Bulimic periods binge and purge.

Eating disorders information will be of great help in educating kids and teenagers about proper eating habits and proper attitudes toward food.