Eating disorders can be termed as a malaise signified by excessive consumption or consuming minimal food.  Being overly concerned about one’s body weight or shape can result in eating disorders.

Fact 1.  Eating disorders are most often observed during the teenage years or young adulthood.

Fact 2.   Eating disorders are curable medical illnesses and frequently co-exist with depression, substance abuse, or anxiety disorders. Those with anorexia nervosa are 18 times more likely to die compared with normal people of a similar age.

Fact 3.   Symptoms of anorexia include: emaciation, determination to remain thin, fear of  body weight, low self-esteem regarding physical attributes, absence of menstruation among girls, and restricted eating.

Fact 4.  The treatment for anorexia includes: sufficient nutrition, moderate exercise, and cessation of  purging. Therapies such as psychotherapy or talk therapy and medication are effective for treating eating disorders.

Fact 5. Anorexia is normally considered a female disorder although males are known to show the same symptoms as females.

Fact 6. Bulimia nervosa occurs when a person eats too much then purges. The person has no control over his actions, and the feeling of self-disgust pervades during the session.

Fact 7. Binge eating is another eating disorder where there is too much food consumed. There is a loss of control during the bingeing. This disorder can be a source of serious illness such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Fact 8. A recent study in the U.S. found that a significant percentage of teenagers found in hospital emergency rooms were due to eating disorders.

Fact 9.  Eating  disorders are more prevalent in industrialized, Western cultures.

Fact 10. Eating disorders have been more prevalent amongst younger females during the latter half of the 20th century due to popular conceptions of beauty as championed by American brands such as Miss America and Playboy. The stereotyped, thin women symbolized as the epitome of womanhood are other attributable factors towards the rising popularity of eating disorders amongst impressionable, young, female adults.