Eating Disorder, Research Paper Example

Eating disorders are prevalent in our society. There are several types of these disorders, and they are most likely to affect adolescent girls. Men and women of all ages, however, can be plagued with a form of eating disorder. Various modes of treatment exist to assist patients in their recoveries. Society battles this problem by research and intervention.

The most common form is anorexia, an involuntary loss of appetite. The sufferer looks into a mirror and sees a fat person. Even when the person is not fat and everyone offers reassurance that she or he is not fat, the person honestly thinks she/he is. Even when scales show weight loss, the person believes that she/he is fat and in need of weight loss.

Some people eat by binging and then induce vomiting afterward in an attempt to control their weight. This problem is known as bulimia. Most people do not think of binge eating or overeating as an eating disorder, but it is (Godfrey, 2009). Rome, Ammerman, et al (2003) reported that primary prevention combined with early recognition and treatment helps curb adolescent morbidity and mortality.

Numerous advocacy groups are working to inform public opinion about eating disorders. Several groups are calling for health insurance companies to cover medical claims arising from the treatment of eating disorders (Stein, 2009). One such group, the Eating Disorder Coalition, has proposed legislation, and act it calls the Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders (FREED).

Our society is filled with images that seem to say that being very thin is the only way to be considered beautiful. Such images, prominently displayed through effective advertising campaigns, do much to undermine the confidence levels of those who lack healthy self-esteem and self-confidence. Eating disorders require further research and attention.

References

Godfrey, J. (2004). Toward optimal health: The experts discuss eating disorders. Journal of Women’s Health, 13(6), 662-667.

Rome, E., Ammerman, S., Rosen, D., Keller, R., Lock, J., Mammel, K., O’Toole, J., Rees, J., Sanders, M., Sawyer, S., Schneider, M., Sigel, E., & Silber, T. (2003). Children and adolescents with eating disorders: The state of the art. Pediatrics, 111(1), 98-108.

Stein, M. (2009). Organizations work to improve recognition, treatment of eating disorders. Eating Disorders Review, 20(5), 1-2.