Eating disorders in adults and children: why they occur and how to fight them
Kyiv • UNN
June 2 is International Eating Disorders Awareness Day, which affects millions of people. Most often found in girls aged 13-25, treatment requires complex therapy and lifelong adherence to recommendations.
June 2 marks the International Day of Struggle against Eating Disorders, which affect more than 70 million people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 10 people may experience symptoms of ED during their lifetime. This mental disorder has the highest mortality rate.
A correspondent of UNN spoke with nutritionist Lyudmila Goncharova about the peculiarities of disorders, their prevalence, and whether it is possible to get rid of them completely.
What are eating disorders?
Eating disorders are a collection of inadequate behavioral syndromes associated with eating disorders.
As a rule, eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, compulsive overeating, as well as a number of other disorders.
From my experience, I see that this is a shallow psychogenic condition, it stands on a genetic condition, that is, a genetic-hormonal component. Hormones such as ghrelin and leptin determine our eating behavior. That is, when a person does not eat as they should, eats what is not absorbed, and eats little of what is absorbed, the body does not have enough
It forces a person to open the refrigerator and eat, while overeating, because the body did not receive the necessary substances before.
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At what age is it more common
Today, there are many disorders in young people around 13-14 years old, when girls do not eat enough to look like their idols.
The main risk group is girls aged 13–25, and ED is spreading among boys, especially after hyperfixation on fitness.
Most often, ED is detected in children, especially those who receive less attention from adults. And, unfortunately, no one deals with them psychologically.
How to fight, what is the treatment for eating disorders
There is no single method of treating ED, especially in 1 consultation. This is a serious work for at least six months or a year, which consists of cognitive-behavioral therapy, also family-oriented therapy, possibly the selection of neuroleptic drugs, an individual selection of nutrition, formed by a doctor who can correct metabolism and thereby improve the hormonal state of a child or adult
How to live in remission
"Compliance with recommendations is lifelong, because it is not a virus. And only with constant adherence to the schedule of meals, control of the rate of water, necessary vitamins, micro- and macroelements, remission is achieved, so to speak," Goncharova said.
Addition
Since 2016, June 2 has been celebrated as the International Day of Struggle against Eating Disorders, starting in 2016. ED has the highest mortality rate among all mental disorders, especially anorexia.
Among patients, only 20-30% receive adequate and correct care. The reason for such a relatively small percentage is the lack of recognition of the problem in society, condemnation, shame of the victim, or lack of specialists.