Related Terms

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Background

• Eating disorders are illnesses that cause a person to adopt harmful eating habits. They are most common among teenage girls and women, and frequently occur along with other psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. The poor nutrition associated with eating disorders may harm organs in the body and, in severe cases, may lead to death.
• An eating disorder is usually triggered by one or more events. Causes may range from a person's parents getting divorced, to emotional or sexual abuse, to a traumatic life-threatening event. After the person sufferers from a traumatic event similar to the above-mentioned examples, a trigger can initiate the disorder. A trigger can be a person commenting negatively on weight or appearance or exposure to the media or thin models and actresses. Once a trigger is introduced, the sufferer's energy is focused on food and weight and what starts out as a diet slowly escalates to a way of regaining control over situation.
• Eating disorders commonly affect adolescent girls, but the number of males that suffer from these disorders is on the rise. These disorders can have their onset at any point in a person's life. It is important to understand that an eating disorder is not meant to be a weight loss tool, but often occurs as a way to cope with an underlying problem.

Types of Eating Disorders

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Drug Abuse Related To Eating Disorders

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Safety

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Author Information

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References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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