Fear to the point of obsession with weight is a common mentality of many people. However, if this condition persists over time, it will lead to anorexia nervosa. This disease occurs three times more often in women than in men. People with a closed personality are more likely to be affected than the average person. Incidence is higher in some professions such as modeling, people working in the field of entertainment ... More dangerous, people with this syndrome are also at risk of mental health disorders, which can even lead to death…
Identifying anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder caused by limited energy intake compared to the needs. Patients will have a fear of gaining weight, even not realizing the severity when the body weight drops significantly. There are 2 types of anorexia nervosa:
- Dietary restrictions: Patients limit food intake by eating as little as possible.
- Eating and Eliminating: The patient eats food but then vomits or uses laxatives to force the food out.
Statistics in the US show that the lifetime prevalence of anorexia nervosa is about 0.6% in the adult population. The incidence in women is 3 times higher than in men. The disease usually begins in adolescence, usually with the onset of puberty and changes in body shape. 85% of patients are between the ages of 13 and 18. The median age of onset of the disorder is 18. However, the proportion of people under 15 years of age is increasing.
Consequences of anorexia nervosa
People with anorexia nervosa are often accompanied by physical signs such as: Excessive weight loss; fragile appearance, excessively slim; tired; insomnia; dizziness or fainting; blue discoloration of nails; thinning, brittle or falling hair; soft fluff covering the whole body; amenorrhea or menstrual irregularities; constipation and abdominal pain; dry or yellowish skin; does not tolerate cold; abnormally increased or decreased heart rate; low blood pressure; dehydration; swelling of the arms or legs; worm teeth… At the most severe level, anorexia nervosa can also cause sudden death due to cardiac arrhythmias, electrolyte imbalance in the body...
Doctors recommend that, with patients being adolescents, the onset of anorexia nervosa psychosis can seriously affect personality formation in the future. Therefore, patients need to be examined and treated to find out the cause of the disease and achieve the best treatment effect.
Source: Bach Mai Hospital