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Bulimia Nervosa
In this article:
As a recognized eating disorder, bulimia nervosa (BN) is in its infancy, having only come under medical and psychological scrutiny in 1979 . According to the National Eating Disorders Association , bulimia nervosa is “characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating.”
Although most people with bulimia nervosa can maintain a normal weight, the disorder is brutal, exerting a tremendous strain on virtually every major system and organ in the human body. The strain bulimia nervosa puts on one’s mental health can also be ferocious, inciting intense feelings of guilt, disgust and shame .
Bulimia Nervosa'’s Patient Population is startling:
So why do some adolescents develop bulimia nervosa? Unlike a virus, experts suspect bulimia nervosa is the result of a variety of psychological, cultural, familial and biological causes intertwining in the sufferer. Additionally, some studies indicate that people who take part in extracurricular social activities that require their bodies to be on frequent display for others—like cheerleading, running, swimming—may be substantially more susceptible to developing these kinds of eating disorders.
In this article:
As a recognized eating disorder, bulimia nervosa (BN) is in its infancy, having only come under medical and psychological scrutiny in 1979 . According to the National Eating Disorders Association , bulimia nervosa is “characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating.”
Although most people with bulimia nervosa can maintain a normal weight, the disorder is brutal, exerting a tremendous strain on virtually every major system and organ in the human body. The strain bulimia nervosa puts on one’s mental health can also be ferocious, inciting intense feelings of guilt, disgust and shame .
Bulimia Nervosa'’s Patient Population is startling:
- Sex: The overwhelming majority (92-98%) of sufferers are female
- Prevalence and mean onset: It affects 1-2% of the young female population, typically at the mean age of 18.
- Geographic: According to Dr. Megan Moreno MSEd, bulimia “is virtually nonexistent in non-industrialized countries … it is found solely in societies in which a high cultural value is placed upon slim-ness.”
So why do some adolescents develop bulimia nervosa? Unlike a virus, experts suspect bulimia nervosa is the result of a variety of psychological, cultural, familial and biological causes intertwining in the sufferer. Additionally, some studies indicate that people who take part in extracurricular social activities that require their bodies to be on frequent display for others—like cheerleading, running, swimming—may be substantially more susceptible to developing these kinds of eating disorders.
