Body Image
The underlying problem that most often times leads to eating disorders is body image. Body image dissatisfaction has become an epidemic in our society. It is more common to find someone who is dissatisfied with their body, than it is to find someone who is satisfied with his or her body. Children are beginning to feel bad about their body at a much younger age. ... Teens are most susceptible to feeling dissatisfied with their body because the teenage years are when we start to develop self-confidence and self-perception. Also during this time body shapes are changing quickly, and about half of females feel too fat, and start dieting. There is a lot of pressure to “fit in” at this time in life, and one of the ways of doing this is by having an attractive body. Girls in particular are more concerned about their weight and body shape. Everyone strives for the perfect body; I know this because I have experienced it myself. ... These images of men and women do not promote self-esteem or positive self-image, they are intended to sell products and make money. ... billions of dollars are spent by consumers who pursue the perfect body. ... Poor body image often times leads to eating disorders. One of the most well known disorders is Anorexia nervosa, which is a condition where the person refuses to maintain the normal body weight for their age and height, and they weigh as much as 85% less than what is expected for their age and height. ... It is sometimes tricky to tell if someone has this disorder because they often times have a normal or near normal body weight, unless they also have anorexia at the same time. ... They chose foods low in fat and other levels of nutrients needed for the body to be healthy. ... They may wear baggy clothes so no one knows what is going on with their body. They will spend lots of time in front of the mirror inspecting their body, and they will always find something they do not like about it. ... Some include: irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest, kidney damage, liver damage, destruction of teeth, rupture of esophagus, loss of muscle mass, disruption of menstrual cycle, weakened immune system, icy hands and feet, swollen glands in neck, excess hair on body, unhealthy gray or yellow cast of skin, fainting spells, sleep disruption, mental fuzziness, permanent loss of bone mass, fractures and lifelong problems.