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Eating disorders are a major problem within the United States and specifically within Utah. Eating disorders most often fall into three categories: anorexia nervosa (not eating), bulimia nervosa (binging and purging or riding body or food intake), and binge eating (over eating). While generally covering all eating disorders this blog is specifically focused on bulimia nervosa, often referred to as bulimia.

Bulimia can affect and impact people of different ages, races, genders, and socio-economic statuses. The most common victims, however, are women and girls in adolescent and early adult years. It is estimated that Bulimia effects 1-3% of adolescents in the United States. Of these cases anywhere from 85-95% are women.

Although this is a tragic disease treatment efforts have been found to be very effective. Within three months of treatment as many as 60-80% all into remission from bulimia. Although this is the case relapse is common among bulimics. Of those who are in remission within three months 15-25% continue to meet the criteria for bulimia even years later.

Common signs and symptoms of Bulimia include:

Physical

• Abnormal bowel functioning
• Damaged teeth and gums
• Swollen salivary glands in the cheeks
• Sores in the throat and mouth
• Bloating
• Dehydration
• Fatigue
• Dry skin
• Irregular heartbeat
• Sores, scars or calluses on the knuckles or hands
• Menstrual irregularities or loss of menstruation (amenorrhea)

Emotional or Behavioral

• Constant dieting
• Feeling that you can't control your eating behavior
• Eating until the point of discomfort or pain
• Eating much more food in a binge episode than in a normal meal or snack
• Exercising for hours on end
• Misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas
• Being preoccupied with your body shape and weight
• Having a distorted, excessively negative body image
• Going to the bathroom after eating or during meals
• Hoarding food
• Depression
• Anxiety

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an eating disorder?
Eating disorders are conditions in which individuals are preoccupied with food and weight that they can focus on little else. Eating disorders are mental illnesses

What are the different types of eating disorders?
There are many types but the most common are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and bing-eating disorder

What is Bulimia?
Bulimia is an eating disorder that is two part, bingeing--eating an extreme amount of food in a short period of time--and purging--riding the body of extra calories through vomiting, excessive exercise, laxatives, or other means

What are some of the symptoms of Bulimia?
Abnormal bowel functioning
Damaged teeth and gums
Going to the bathroom consistently after eating
Exercising even when hurt
Swollen jaw or cheeks
Rough skin on knuckles (use of fingers to induce vomiting)
Bloating
Fatigue
Dry skin
Constantly dieting
Feeling that you can't control your eating behavior
Unhealthy focus on body shape and weight
Hoarding food
Depression or anxiety
Irregular menstrual cycle or loss of menstruation

What causes bulimia?
Bulimia is more than a problem with food and can be set off by a variety of things. Biological, physiological, family, genetic, environmental and social factors all have potential to play a part in bulimia and other eating disorders.

Who is at greatest risk of developing bulimia?
All are at risk of becoming bulimic although specific high risk people are:
Gender: females
Age: adolescent and early-adult years
Family influences: those who are not secure with their families, parents are overly critical, or are teased about their parents
Emotional disorders: depression, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive
Dieting: those who lose weight are often reinforced by positive comments from others about a change in their appearance and often take it too far
Transitions: those who are in situations of change or situations out of their control
Sports, work and artistic activities: athletes, actors, dancers, and models
Media and society: exposure to media focused on body shape and size

What are the complications that can come from bulimia?
Complications include but are not limited to: heart disease, depression, bone loss, stunted growth, nerve damage, seizures, digestive problems, tooth decay, ruptured esophagus, type 2 diabetes, and death

What is the treatment for bulimia?
Treatment often requires a team of professionals including medical doctors, dietitians, and mental health providers. Proper treatment often includes psychotherapy, nutrition education, hospitalization, and medications

How does bulimia affect pregnancy?
Bulimia can cause many diverse problems with pregnancy including miscarriage, high blood pressure in the mother, still-born, low birth weight, birth defects, and problems breast feeding

What should I do if I think someone I know has bulimia?
If someone you know or love has signs of bulimia suggested ideas include:
Set up a time and talk with them
Tell your friend about your concerns
Ask the individual to talk with a professional
Avoid conflict
Don't place shame, blame, or guilt on the individual
Don't give simple solutions
Let your friend know that you will always be there no matter what

The Facts About Bulimia Nervosa

- In the United States bulimia nervosa is most prevalent among women.

• 5-15% of cases of anorexia/bulimia are men in the US (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)
• 95-85% of cases of anorexia/bulimia are women in the US (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)

- Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that involves binging--eating a large amount of food in a short period of time-- and purging or other ways of ridding your body or calories which can include:

• making yourself throw up
• taking laxatives— pills or liquids that increase the movement of food through your body and lead to a bowel movement
• exercising excessively
• not eating or only eating very little
• and taking water pills

- According to the Mayo Clinic, bulimia is categorized in two ways:

• Purging bulimia. You regularly engage in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas to compensate for binges.
• Nonpurging bulimia. You use other methods to rid yourself of calories and prevent weight gain, such as fasting or overexercising, which is sometimes called exercise bulimia.

- Physical complications of bulimia include:

• gastrointestinal problems
• damaged or discolored teeth
• lung irritation: choking while vomiting causes food particles to lodge in lungs
• chronic loss of bodily fluids: depletes blood potassium, sodium and chloride levels
• muscles spasms, weakness, irregular heartbeat and kidney disease

- Along with binging and purging other signals of bulimia include but are not limited to:

• using the bathroom frequently after meals
• preoccupation with body weight
• depression or mood swings
• irregular periods
• developing dental problems, swollen cheek glands, heartburn and/or bloating
• experiencing personal or family problems with alcohol or drugs