Expert: Leigh-Anne - 11/3/2004

Question
hello, im a seventh grade student and i have to do a research paper on Anorexia. Can you please answer some of these questions for me please:
1.How does Anorexia and depression relate?
2.what are the main things you need to do to have Anorexia?
3. What is the difference between Anorexia an Bolimea?

Answer
I hope that this truly is for a research project, because I don't make it a habit of giving out tipping advice on how to develop eating disorders.

1. Anorexia (moreover eating disorders in general) and depression can go hand in hand. Sometimes Depression can lead to anorexia. When a person is depressed they have no sense of self-worth, they have low self-esteem, they don't have the desire to participate in activities that they once enjoyed (including eating). On the other hand, an person with an eating disorder may develop depression due to feelings of inadequacy because they feel they are fat, when they really aren't, they don't feel like they can control their surroundings.

2. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a willful refusal to make expected weight gain (if still growing) or to maintain a minimally normal weight (i.e. falling at least 15% below ideal body weight), an intense fear of weight gain, and a significant misinterpretation of body shape. They may have a BMI below 17.5, and they may have amenorrhea (cessation of menstrual periods after menarche).

3. On the other hand. bulimia nervosa is characterized by binge eating (uncontrolled consumption of larger amounts of food in a limited period of time) combined with inappropriate ways to prevent weight gain. Bingeing behavior can cause guilt, which is then compensated by puring methods such as self-induced vomiting,fasting, excessive exercise, or the consumption of laxatives and/or diuretics. Bulimics do not fall below that mark of 85% of their ideal body weight. Bulimia can also be characterized by impulsive and maladaptive behaviors such as drug abuse, shoplifting, suicidal ideation and attempts, and sexual promiscuity. Bulimia is also a more frequent occurrence than anorexia (anorexia affecting about .5% of adolescent girls and young women, and bulimia affecting between 1-5% of the female population.

This information was extracted from:

Common Eating Disorders: A Primer for Primary Care Providers

Diane Dixon-Works, PA-C, MA, MMSc, Richard O. Nenstiel, PA-C, MBA, and Zarrintaj Aliabadi, PA-C, PharmD, PhD

Taken from the September 2003 Clinical Reviews Vol 13, No 9, pages 46-51

Hope this information helps.

Leigh-Anne