A girl who has put herself on a strict diet, and is eating an almond for her breakfast after coming back from exercising.
FACTS
600-800 averageintake of calories for a person suffering from anorexia nervosa, while minimum basic requirement is 2200-3000 for the body.
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder, where there is an excessive and intense fear of gaining weight and becoming fat.
People with Anorexia Nervosa disorder start hating their current body shape and size, and practically starve them to lose weight.
No matter how much weight they lose, it’s not enough they keep on refusing food even after alarmingly low current body weight.
They keep on thinking all day what food to take and avoid in order to stay slim.
If Anorexia Nervosa is not treated within time it can have serious health affects, as it is the most serious and deadly eating disorder.
A person in Anorexia Nervosa becomes obsessed about their weight and thinks of ways to lose more weight, ignoring their health all along.
There are two types of anorexia nervosa:
Restricting type- weight loss is achieved by restricting calories, following drastic diets, fasting and exercising excessively.
Purging type- weight loss is achieved by vomiting, or taking excessive diet pills and laxatives.
SYMPTOMS
- Denying that you are too thin
- Not eating in public places
- Eating secretively
- Counting calories in every food they eat
- Pretending to eat or lying about eating
- Dieting despite being thin
- Chewing and then spitting out food
- Eating dieting and weight loss pills
- Highly critical on their appearance and body
- Compulsive exercising
CASE STUDIES
M F, age 23 came to the clinic with her parents. She is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 44 kg’s, having lost 21 kg’s in the past 4 months. Her weight is extremely low according to the BMI (Body Mass Index). Maria has put herself on a strict diet; she eats almonds for breakfast, vegetable soup for lunch and Salad for dinner. As a result of these eating habits, she has developed stomach gastric problems, vitamin and calcium deficiencies, accompanied by blurred vision and blackouts. She turns anxious; whenever she looks into the mirror thinking she will gain weight and become fat. All this started 6 months back, when she reduced a few Kg’s through dieting and exercising and received immense appraisal for her new toned body. Ever since she cannot stop thinking about ways to keep her maintained and become perfect.
