We saw many children and teenagers visiting the emergency room after the pandemic because of mental health problems. There is also a notable increase in eating disorders, especially among teenage girls. Notably, eating disorders comprise unhealthy relations with food.
Types of eating disorders
According to statistics, one in every five women and one in every seven men experience an eating disorder by 40 years, and in 95% of the cases, the disorder begins at 25 years. Here are the different kinds of eating disorders
Anorexia nervosa: The disorder is characterized by a phobia of gaining weight. As a result, people with anorexia nervosa consider themselves overweight even when they are healthy or underweight. Anorexia nervosa is in two forms, including the restrictive form, where one limits what they eat to control weight, and binge-purge, where one limits what and how much they eat but also ear huge amounts at a go when they eat and try to get rid of extra calories using diuretics, laxatives, excessive exercise or vomiting.
Bulima nervosa: this disorder involves binging and purging without a limit on how much and what to take.
Binge eating disorder: This disorder occurs when one binge eats but doesn’t restrict or purge.
Avoidance restrictive food intake disorder: in this disorder, one will limit the amount they take but not because they are concerned about their weight.
Signs of an eating disorder
Given the upheaval, loneliness, and stress that the epidemic has brought, it’s hardly unexpected that eating disorders have increased in children and adolescents. Parents should be on the lookout for symptoms that their kid or teenager may have an eating problem, such as:
- changing what they eat, when they eat it, and how much they eat
- Eating in a restrictive or disciplined manner
- Odd weight fluctuations
- Expressing dissatisfaction with their appearance or weight
- A lot more exercise than usual
- Spending a great deal of time in the restroom.
If your child has an eating problem occurs to you, keep in mind that an eating disorder is not caused by choice.
