Researchers with Children's Hospital Boston have determined that teen girls who force themselves to throw up - even as little as one time per month - are at risk for a wide range of health disorders, including irregular menstruation.

Self-induced vomiting, which is primarily done as a form of weight control, can wreak considerable havoc on developing bodies, said S. Bryn Austin, one of the researchers who was involved in the study.

"Given that adolescence is the period of peak bone development and that normal hormonal functioning is essential for healthy bone growth, we are especially worried that these girls may be setting themselves up for a host of health problems, including low bone density, stress fractures, and osteoporosis later in life," Austin said.

The Children's Hospital study, which was published in the May 2008 edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health, was based on an analysis of 2,791 girls who participated in the National Eating Disorders Screening Program. The report revealed the following statistics about the effect of forced vomiting:

• Twelve percent of the high school girls who were studied reported having forced themselves to throw up at least once in the previous three months.


• Girls who vomited one to three times a month were 1.6 times more likely to experience irregular menstruation than were girls who never forced themselves to throw up.
• Girls who vomited four times or more each month were 3.2 times more likely to have an irregular cycle.

According to a May 27, 2008, New York Times article on the study, self-induced vomiting has been associated with a range of other medical problems, including electrolyte imbalances (which can lead to heart conditions), dental enamel erosion, and tears in the esophagus.

Labels: anorexia, side_effects, vomit

A 15-year-old girl who has spent most of her life dieting wrote a letter to a Pennsylvania newspaper advice columnist to express concerns that she may be anorexic. She shared her story (which includes teasing by family members) and symptoms (which include four months of missed periods), and asked for advice.

"Your obsession with your weight and your changed attitude toward eating are certainly warning signs for anorexia, but it's not possible to know if you are too thin without more information. I recommend an appointment with your family physician... The Internet is an excellent source of information, but spending time with a professional who can listen to your individual needs will help most."

The advice columnist noted that missed menstrual periods are also a potential sign of anorexia, though other causes could be to blame. She also suggested that the girl address the matter with her family, to tell them how she feels when they tease her and to ask them to stop. Source: Observer-Reporter

Labels: anorexia, diagnosis, treatment

New research suggests that girls who suffer from anorexia nervosa may grow to a normal height. Results of the study contradict the commonly-held belief that sufferers' growth is stunted.

"During normal puberty, levels of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth-factor-1 (IGF-1) rise, triggering a growth spurt.... It's possible.... that this process of growth and bone aging is delayed in girls with anorexia, giving them a chance to reach their full potential height after they recover."

The study's author, Dr. Rajani Prabhakaran of Harvard Medical School, did note that height stunting became an issue in girls who suffered from anorexia for 2 ½ years or more. Source: Reuters

Labels: anorexia, growth, hormones

It's well-known that anxiety disorders are more common among people with anorexia. But a team of researchers has found that childhood anxiety is not only a precursor to eating disorders, but may determine a disorder's severity.

"In general, the researchers found, women with a history of childhood anxiety exhibited 'more extreme personality traits' and attitudes - like perfectionism and obsessive tendencies related to food - than women without a history of early anxiety disorders."

The research team believes this newly discovered link emphasizes the importance of discovering and treating anxiety disorders early. Source: Parent Center

Labels: anorexia, anxiety, causes of eating disorders

Though they tried for months to contain the rumors, the Versace family released a statement this week stating that daughter Allegra is battling anorexia.

"No one who has ever had anything to do with an anorexia sufferer, witnessed the torment of their parents and family, could do anything other than wish the Versaces all the luck in the world to see Allegra through it, and all the solitude and privacy she may crave in which to get better."

Some are not surprised to hear about Allegra's multi-year struggle with anorexia, and believe that this announcement is further proof of the negative effects the fashion industry has on young, female psyches. Read more at Independent.co.uk.

Labels: anorexia, fashion, modeling

As a psychiatrist, Dr. Harvey Widore, M.D. has had many patients who struggled with eating disorders. In this multi-part article series, he shares the story of one girl - Debbie - who weighed less than 100 pounds when he first met her.

"...when she walked into my office for our initial meeting, Debbie's legs looked like sticks. Protruding above the jacket, her skull-like head barely balanced on her spinal column, the virtual absence of neck muscles giving her the appearance of a bobble-head doll. Had she taken off the jacket I would have seen that her body had no breasts, no stomach, no buttocks - all victims of the soft tissue and muscle atrophy that follows severe protein deprivation. Debbie looked like a concentration camp victim, but the agent of her starvation was not a concentration camp guard. It was Debbie herself."

Many in the medical community believe that the number of deaths attributed to eating disorders is too low. Often, the cause of death is said to be cardiac arrest or some other condition which is actually brought on by the eating disorder.

Looking for an eating disorders treatment program? Visit our directory of resources to find a treatment program for eating disorders today.

Labels: anorexia, health_care, starvation

There are many treatment options available for people with anorexia. Various psychological, nutritional and medical treatments are offered, and choosing the "right" ones can be difficult. Parents who have teens with eating disorders may feel nearly panicked in their desire to find help for their children; a feeling that's exacerbated by the over-abundance of studies and opinions about different types of treatment.

"...a number of treatment methods are available to individuals with anorexia. The important thing is to diligently seek a mode of treatment that works for you. Right now, researchers may not know why one approach work and other one doesn't. Those are important things for us to learn. But on an individual basis, it's more important to find something that works than to know why it works."

Treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) often work well in conjunction with some form of nutritional therapy. Consider out-of-the-ordinary additions to traditional treatment - like massage therapy, which some say helps anorexic patients not only relax but start to develop a healthier body image.

Residential treatment centers, like the Youth Care, offer cognitive-behavioral therapy for a variety of issues.

Labels: anorexia, therapy, treatment

Until recently, doctors associated anorexia with teenage, Caucasian girls who succumbed to the pressure to be "perfect". But the increasing diversity of anorexic patients is causing doctors to question its origin.

"Seven years ago 'the idea of seeing a 9- or would have been 10-year-old anorexic would have been shocking and prompted frantic calls to my colleagues. Now we’re seeing kids this age all the time,' [David] Rosen says. There's no single explanation for the declining age of onset, although greater awareness on the part of parents certainly plays a role."

Because the pre-teen and early teen years are a critical growth period for children, anorexia can be especially damaging to a young person's health. Debilitating conditions like low blood pressure, decreased heart function and drops in testosterone or estrogen can affect children within months. Read more at MSNBC.com.

New Leaf Academy is a private boarding school for middle school girls. Young girls' potential is impacted by their early-stage emotional and developmental needs. Learn more about their private school for girls.

Labels: anorexia, development, young_girls

Nikki Grahame may not be as famous in the United States as she is in the United Kingdom, but her struggle with anorexia is a lesson for people around the world. One of the stars of Big Brother 7, Grahame was hospitalized as a child and even slipped into a coma because of her illness. Now, she's admitted that she's unable to have children.

"She told OK! Magazine: 'I might adopt because I can't have children, because of all the internal damage I've done to myself with the anorexia. I found out about it a while ago and it is a shame. It's inevitable though, with anorexia.'"

Grahame has also been diagnosed with osteoporosis, a condition that's usually found in people who are much older. Read more at DigitalSpy.co.uk.

Therapeutic boarding schools, like Bromley Brook School, offer accredited academics and counseling to help students deal with behaviors that may be preventing them from growing into a healthy adult. Learn more about Bromley Brook private boarding schools for girls.

Labels: anorexia, effects_of_eating_disorders, infertility

Recent studies have some in the medical community raising their eyebrows and asking hard questions. The studies focus on a type of "diet" called Calorie Restriction and claim that reducing caloric intake may slow down the aging process. But is Calorie Restriction actually an unrecognized type of eating disorder?

"Although we don't know yet whether the longevity benefits extend to humans, a number of people have put themselves on draconian diets in the hope of living loner. They refer to their regimen as CR (calorie restriction) or CRON (calorie restriction with optimal nutrition), and they call themselves CRONies... Like anorexics, CRONies discover in starvation an apparent solution to their problems: a source of energy (at least at first), a sense of purpose, and relief from stress."

Thus far, no one from the eating disorder field has adequately explained the difference between calorie restriction and anorexia; why one is an accepted type of diet while the other is an eating disorder.

Read more at Slate.com.

Labels: anorexia, calorie_restriction, dieting

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health is launching a four-year study on early intervention treatments for adolescents with eating disorders. The study will begin accepting patients on May 1st.

"The study... will examine two early intervention treatment approaches in 240 young people, ages 12 to 18, who've been diagnosed with anorexia. The children's parents will play an important role in the study."

Recent research has found that some people may be genetically pre-disposed to eating disorders, making early intervention extremely important. Intervention programs that involve family members often prove to be the most successful, which is why they're the focus of this particular study. Read more online.

Labels: anorexia, intervention, mental_health

A ten-year long study funded by the National Institute of Health has found that some people may be genetically predisposed to anorexia nervosa. The study found that someone who had a family member who struggled with anorexia was 12 times more at risk of developing the illness.

"'Genetics loads the gun. Environment pulls the trigger,' said [Craig] Johnson, the director of the eating disorders unit at Laureate Psychiatric Hospital in Tulsa..."

The study's authors acknowledge that genetics doesn't guarantee that someone will develop anorexia, but that it could make a person more sensitive to the environmental conditions which often trigger the illness. Read more online.

Labels: anorexia, genes, research

Anorexia and bulimia may get all the publicity, but the most common eating disorder in the United States is binge eating.

Binge eating is uncontrolled eating that occurs at least once a week. Afterwards people usually compensate for their binge by dieting, fasting, using laxatives or "exercising it off."

Researchers at Harvard University Medical School and McLean Psychiatric Hospital interviewed 9,000 people all over the United States about their eating habits and mental health. They found that 3.5% of women and 2% of men are binge eaters. Their disorder tends to last more than eight years. It puts them at a higher risk for obesity and diseases like stroke, heart attack, and diabetes.

All three eating disorders are more common among young people ages 18 to 29, and especially among people who were anxious and depressed.

About 1.5% of men and 0.5% of men suffer from bulimia or vomiting to control one's weight. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that can cause people to diet until they are starving to death. The researchers found that it affects less than l% of American women and only 0.3% of men.

This study appears in the February issue of Biological Psychiatry.

Labels: anorexia, binge eating, bulimia