Psychology 2032A/B Quiz: Eating Disorders
16 Feb 2019
School
Department
Course
Professor
Eating Disorders
•
Became a distinct category in DMS-IV, DSM-5: eating disorders found in “Feeding &
Eating Disorders”
chapter
o Pica = eating nonfood substances for extended periods
o Rumination = repeated regurgitation of foods
•
1) Restriction of food that leads to very low body weight; body weight is significantly
below normal
BMI less than 18.5)
o Weight loss achieved through dieting and perhaps purging and excessive
exercise
•
2) Intense fear of weight gain/being fat or repeated behaviours that interfere with
weight gain *fear not reduced by weight loss
•
3) Body image disturbance *distorted body image or sense of body shape
o Particularly the abdomen, hips, thighs are too fat
o Weight themselves frequently, measure themselves, gaze in the mirror
critically
o Often assessed via questionnaire
o
Women ideal: very thin (compared to normal), overestimate their own size,
Male ideal: same
as normal, overestimate their own size
•
SEVERITY: (BMI) Mild = =/< 17, Moderate = 16-16.99, Severe = 15-15.99,
Extreme = <15
o Healthy BMI is between 20-25
•
Amenorrhea = loss of menstrual period, is no longer a criteria
•
Term anorexia refers to loss of appetite, nervosa indicates loss is due to emotional
reasons
•
2 subtypes:
o 1) Restricting type: weight loss is achieved by severely restricting food
intake
o 2) Binge eating/purging: person has also regularly engaged in binge eating
and purging
Nearly 2/3 who meet category 1, switched over to 2 eight years
later
•
Typically begins in middle teenage years, often after episode of dieting an
occurrence of life stress
•
Prevalence: less than 1% (stable), 10x as frequent in women as men *greater
cultural emphasis on
women’s beauty
o Higher mortality from men with disorder than women
•
Comorbid with: depression, OCD, specific phobia, panic disorder and personality
disorders
•
High suicide rates: 5%
complete, 20% attempt
Physical
Consequences
•
Low blood pressure, slow heart rate, kidney/gastrointestinal problems, bone
