These affect the physical and mental development of young people.
Highlights:
- An eating disorder is a severe and potentially fatal condition that frequently affects children and adolescents, causing alterations in their physical and mental development.
- An eating disorder is characterized by changes in eating behavior in which excessive weight-related thinking predominates.
- One must be vigilant about high-risk eating behaviors because “when they become lifestyle disruptive, they become an eating disorder,” says Izcoa.
- Some high-risk eating behaviors include focusing too much on weight, frequent fasting or dieting, eating fewer meals, paying too much attention to eating light products, having an aversion to sugar, or exercising excessively.
- Awareness about eating disorders can lead to prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment, and saving young lives.
An eating disorder is a severe and potentially fatal condition that frequently affects children and adolescents, causing alterations in their physical and mental development. It is a group of diseases with biological, environmental, behavioral, and psychological causes and even sociocultural factors (such as the use of fatphobic words). It is characterized by changes in eating behavior in which excessive weight-related thinking predominates. Itziar Izcoa, a specialist in eating disorders and general director of Plusvida, defines it as “a person who has a bad relationship with their body and with food.” Among the best-known are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and unspecified eating disorders, such as binge eating.
“Ana” and “Mia” refer to anorexia and bulimia, respectively.
Eating difficulties are not uncommon during childhood. Many parents comment that their children sometimes go through moments where they eat little, excessively, or, in general, are fussy. Although these episodes tend to resolve on their own over time in most children, one must be vigilant about high-risk eating behaviors because “when they become lifestyle disruptive, they become an eating disorder,” says Izcoa. Some high-risk eating behaviors include focusing too much on weight, frequent fasting or dieting, eating fewer meals, paying too much attention to eating light products, having an aversion to sugar, or exercising excessively. The expert comments that these behaviors can begin “from the age of 10 when they begin to be aware of their bodies, although it is higher between 14 and 17 years of age.”
Bulimia nervosa is more common in the population than anorexia nervosa. It is characterized by eating large amounts of food in a short time and having compensatory behaviors to avoid weight gain from the binge.
Parents play a central role. However, on many occasions, due to misinformation, fear, or guilt, there are delays in identifying the symptoms of these disorders, and there is no early intervention in the disease. In this sense, Itziar explains, “it is always good to approach a health professional who is an expert in the subject to find out what stage of the disorder you are in.” Depending on each personalized case, various specialists usually participate in managing these children to ensure adequate evaluation and treatment. It includes nutrition specialists, pediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists, and nursing staff. The boy or girl is evaluated to determine the possible effects on nutritional behavior, emotional and behavioral performance, interactions with food, diet, and management of family behaviors and practices.
“In advanced stages, the reality is that you can control the eating disorder. Tools are provided to learn to manage emotion, which prevents behavior,” comments Izcoa. Emotion has an important influence on conduct, actions, and behavior. This emotion-behavior relationship is associated with the compensatory behaviors characteristic of these disorders. For example, sadness, anger, and fear in people with anorexia nervosa are resolved through compensatory behaviors such as restrictive eating and purging, self-harm, or excessive exercise.
Awareness about eating disorders can lead to prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment, and saving young lives. It can also increase empathy for those who suffer or struggle with these issues and reduce the stigma often associated with these diseases. “These are people who live through hell. They are unhappy despite having everything they want physically,” concludes Itziar.
