Anorexia Losing Weight

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Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Library Research The concept of what constitutes correct weight has undergone marked revision in recent years. Even today, the definition of the term normal and desirable weight is sharply debated. To assess the weight status of individuals we have traditionally used height-weight tables derived from experiences. It is recognized that when growth in height has been achieved, there is no biological need to regain weight in excess of that which is satisfactory for individuals. Also, the best health prognosis is found in individual of average or less than average weight in the early 20’s who maintain this weight throughout adult years. Studies indicate that certain disease in adults are associated with excessive weight, and that fat people are more likely to die at a younger age than people of normal weight. (Cooper, 1995). This fact might be the reason why some overweight individuals choose to undergo weight reduction system. The introduction of diet pill and establishment of many fitness centers in the country encouraged more health awareness especially to fat individuals.

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It was one principal discovery in the past that overweight is associated with relatively high mortality. The greater the person’s weight the greater his risk of early death. Recent statistics show that man who weight 10 to 19 percent more than their ideal weights have a mortality rate one third higher than man of ideal weight. For those who weight 20 percent more above their ideal weight, the mortality rate is half gain as high. Estimates of the number of overweight people in the United States vary from 15 million to 40 million. In the Philippines, overweight people reached about 13 percent of the total population of individuals with age ranging from 1 5 to 65 (DOH, 1995). The increasing interest of overweight individuals on commercially made reducing products motivated the researchers to pursue an investigations which aims to determine the effectiveness of these products in reducing weight of overweight individuals. Thus, the researchers conducted this study in order to share a wider point of view of the individuals who are clients of commercial weight loss product. The study has the aim in view of creating n idea that would best promote health and general well being of the overweight individuals.

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The study sought to answer the following questions uses as the basis of this study. Specifically: 1.

what are the causes and effects of teenage girls ‘ obsession in losing weight?

2.

Among the treatments of anorexia what is the best treatment prescribed by authorities?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study focuses on the study of the causes and effects of teenage girls ‘ obsession in losing weight. Furthermore this study would serve as knowledgeable fund for the writers, and researchers. Also, this study aims to appraise the problems arises on this issue particularly on its effect.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS This study is delimited in knowing the causes and effects of teenage girls’ obsession in losing weight and on how to prevention in order to avoid severe complications of the condition of the person who are obese.

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DEFINITION OF TERMS

Appetite

Is the desire to eat food, felt as hunger. It exists in all higher lifeforms, and serves to regulate adequate energy intake to maintain metabolic needs.

Commercial Weight-reducing Products. These are the branded commercial products that are said to have effects on reduction of weight. It is mostly advised to overweight or obese individuals. Effectiveness

The condition which enhance a positive result or outcome.

Obesity

The stage of being overweight. Increased body size with increased lean body mass and without excess accumulation of body fat.

Spirulina

This famed blue-green algae contains concentrations of nutrients unlike any other single grain, plant or herb.

Weight Reduction.

It pertains to a declaim of weight in pounds or in kilograms.

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Chapter 2 DISCUSSION

Anorexia is an eating disorder where people starve themselves. Anorexia usually begins in young people around the onset of puberty. Individuals suffering from anorexia have extreme weight loss. Weight loss is usually 15% below the person's normal body weight. People suffering from anorexia are very skinny but are convinced that they are overweight. Weight loss is obtained by many ways. Some of the common techniques used are excessive exercize, intake of laxatives and not eating. Anorexics have an intense fear of becoming fat. Their dieting habits develop from this fear. Anorexia mainly affects adolescent girls.People with anorexia continue to think they are overweight even after they become extremely thin, are very ill or near death. Often they will develop strange eating habits such as refusing to eat in front of other people. Sometimes the individuals will prepare big meals for others while refusing to eat any of it. The disorder is thought to be most common among whites, people of higher socioeconomic classes, and people involved in activities where thinness is especially looked upon, such as dancing, theater, and distance running. A Family Member has an Eating Disorder If you have a family member that with an Eating Disorder, they need a lot of support. Suggest that your family member see an eating disorder expert. Be prepared

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for denial, resistance, and even anger. A doctor and/or a counselor can help them battle their eating disorder. Symptoms There are many symptoms for anorexia, some individuals may not experience all of they symptoms. The symptoms include: Body weight that is inconsistant with age, build and height (usually 15% below normal weight). Some other symtoms are: 

Loss of at least 3 consecutive menstral periods (in women).

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Not wanting or refusing to eat in public.

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Other symptoms are: anxiety, weakness, brittle skin, shortness of

breath, obsessiveness about calorie intake People who have anorexia try to hide their condition, so others may not notice the signs and symptoms of the eating disorder. The warning signs and symptoms of anorexia include: 

dramatic weight loss; refusal to maintain the minimal normal body weight for one’s age and height

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basing self-worth on body weight and body image

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frequent skipping of meals, with excuses for not eating

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eating only a few foods, especially those low in fat and calories

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making meals for others, but not eating the meals themselves

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

frequent weighing of oneself and focusing on tiny fluctuations in weight

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wearing baggy clothing to cover up thinness

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excessive focus on an exercise regimen

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frequent looking in the mirror for flaws

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avoidance of social gatherings where food is involved

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even when thin, complaining about being overweight

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in females, missing three consecutive menstrual periods; in males, decreased sexual desire

types of anorexia There are two types of anorexia, based on whether the anorexia is combined with bulimia: Classic Anorexia (Restricting Anorexia) – The person eats very little and loses weight through self-starvation or excessive exercise. Calories consumed are insufficient to support bodily functions and activities. Binge-Eating/Purging Anorexia – In addition to cutting the intake of calories, this person also binges and purges (self-induced vomiting, or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas). The person has symptoms of both anorexia and bulimia. About 50% of people with anorexia also develop bulimia.

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Physical effects of anorexia In addition to the wide-ranging physical effects of anorexia that are noted in the diagram above, the following can occur: 

Hair loss

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Lowered resistance to illness

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Hypersensitivity to heat

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Less need for sleep than normal eaters

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Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure

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Fatigue and overall weakness In severe cases: heart trouble, low blood pressure, low heart rate, low body

temperature, poor circulation, anemia, stunted growth, and even death

Emotional and behavioral effects of anorexia In addition to the depression, irritability, and bad memory noted in Brain and Nerves in the diagram above, the following emotional and behavioral effects of anorexia can occur: 

Difficulty in concentrating on anything else except weight

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Isolation from family and friends

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Emotional regression to a child-like state

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Feelings of guilt

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

Dependence upon alcohol or drugs to handle the negative outlook

Medical Consequenses There are many medical risks associated with anorexia. They include: shrunken bones, mineral loss, low body temperature, irregular heartbeat, permanent failure of normal growth, development of osteoporosis and bulimia nervosa. Continued use of laxatives is harmful to the body. It wears out the bowel muscle and casues it to decrease in function. Some laxatives contain harsh substances that may be reabsorbed into your system. Anorexia and Pregnancy In order to have a healthy child, the average pregnant woman should gain between 25 and 35 pounds. Telling this to a person with anorexia is like telling a normal person to gain 100 pounds. If you are anorexic, you may have trouble conceiving a baby and carrying it to term. Irregular menstral cycles and weak bones make it more difficult to conceive. If you are underweight and do not eat the proper variety of foods, you and your baby could be in danger. Women with eating disorders have higher rates of miscarriages and your baby might be born prematurely which puts them at risk for many medical problems. All pregnant women should receive proper prenatal care. Those recovering from anorexia or bulimia need special care. you should always take your pre-natal vitamins and have regular pre-natal visits. you should not exercise unless your doctor

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says it is okay and it is a good idea to enroll in a prenatal exercise class to be sure you are not overexerting yourself. Statistics 

One percent of teenage girls in the U.S. develop anorexia nervosa and

up to 10% of those may die as a result. The biggest difference between anorexia and bulimia is that people suffering from bulimia eat large amounts of food and then throw up. This is called binge and purge. Anorexics do not eat large amounts and throw up. Bulimics do. Is obesity hereditary People gain weight when the body takes in more calories than it burns off. Those extra calories are stored as fat. The amount of weight gain that leads to obesity doesn't happen in a few weeks or months. Because being obese is more than just being a few pounds overweight, people who are obese have usually been getting more calories than they need for years. Obesity can run in families, but just how much is due to genes is hard to determine. Many families eat the same foods, have the same habits (like snacking in front of the TV), and tend to think alike when it comes to weight issues (like urging children to eat a lot at dinner so they can grow "big and strong"). All of these situations can contribute to weight gain, so it can be difficult to figure out if a person is born with a tendency to be obese or overweight or learns eating and exercise habits

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that lead to weight gain. In most cases, weight problems arise from a combination of habits and genetic factors. Certain illnesses, like thyroid gland problems or unusual genetic disorders, are uncommon causes for people gaining weight. Sometimes emotions can fuel obesity as well. People tend to eat more when they are upset, anxious, sad, stressed out, or even bored. Then after they eat too much, they may feel bad about it and eat more to deal with those bad feelings, creating a tough cycle to break. One of the most important factors in weight gain is a sedentary lifestyle. People are much less active today than they used to be, with televisions, computers, and video games filling their spare time. Cars dominate our lives, and fewer people walk or ride bikes to get somewhere. As lives become busier, there is less time to cook healthy meals, so more and more people eat at restaurants, grab takeout food, or buy quick foods at the grocery store or food market to heat up at home. All of these can contain lots more fat and calories than meals prepared from fresh foods at home. Treatments of Obesity The number of people who are obese is rising. About 1.2 billion people in the world are overweight and at least 300 million of them are obese, even though obesity is one of the 10 most preventable health risks, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States, more than 97 million adults - that's more than half -

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are overweight and almost one in five adults is obese. Among teenagers and kids 6 years and older, more than 15% are overweight - that's more than three times the number of young people who were overweight in the 1970s. At least 300,000 deaths every year in the United States can be linked to obesity.

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Chapter 3 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY Anorexia Nervosa is an illness that mainly affects adolescent girls although it can occur both in boys or girls younger or older than this. The most common features are loss of weight coupled with a change in behaviour. The weight loss is slowly progressive and often starts with a perfectly normal weight reducing diet. It may only be after this has continued for several months that it seems a cause for worry, usually because by then the weight loss is extreme. To start with the girls are single minded in their determination to lose weight. Attempts to frustrate their efforts are generally met with anger or deceit or a combination of both. Confrontation, rational discussion, bullying or bribery will probably fail to cause more than a very brief change of eating behaviour. Continuing weight loss will lead to increasing concern by the family. A girl of average height will probably be unable to continue at school once her weight falls below around six stones. The personality changes that she may experience will be those of increasing seriousness and introversion. She will become less outgoing and less fun. She will usually begin to lose contact with her friends and may appear to lose interest in

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everything apart from food and academic work. She may show increased obsessional behaviour especially in the kitchen where she may become concerned with cleanliness, orderliness and precise timing of meals. She may well seem to wish to cook for the family and appear to encourage them to overeat. She will regress and appear to lose confidence. She may become less assertive, less argumentative and more dependant. At the same time her behaviour will increasingly control the lives of all around her. Conclusion I therefore conclude that there are some aspects of cause that are unknown. From what we do know it seems that this is a disorder of many causes that come together to produce the illness. These recognised ingredients include the nature of the personality of the girl herself, aspects of her family its members and relationships, and stresses and problems occurring outside home, often at school. There is an increased risk in families in which there are other anorexics and this probably indicates a genetic predisposition also. The trigger is weight loss from any cause, the most usual being a normal weight reducing diet to lose 'puppy' fat. The personalities of the girls tend to be conformist, compliant, and hard working. They are often popular with teachers and may have seemed to be little cause for worry over the years. As their contemporaries go through the difficulties of adolescence they seem models of sensible behavior by comparison. They tend to be mildly obsessional. They are organized and tend towards

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tidiness. These traits may be quite marked before the onset of anorexia but they are usually accentuated by the disorder. Recommendation I therefore recommend The human body copes with periods of semistarvation and weight loss fairly well. Subsequent return to normal weight and eating pattern is usually accompanied by the restoration of physical normality including the ability to have children. During the period of weight loss the body tries to conserve energy as best it can and so inessential functions become gradually lost. The menstrual cycle stops as the weight falls below about seven stones four pounds and may stop earlier if the eating pattern is very abnormal. The circulation diminishes with coldness of the hands and feet that often become reddened. The heart rate slows and the blood pressure falls. Danger from a failing heart becomes a risk at very low weights, below around five stones, if the weight loss is extremely rapid, or if the chemistry is distorted by an extreme of vomiting, purging, or diuretic (water tablet) abuse. It is hard to assess a dangerously low weight but sudden death will more frequently occur once the weight has fallen by forty per cent of normal. In practice this often means somewhere near five stones. Prolonged weight loss during adolescence may eventually lead to permanent failure of normal growth but this is only common when the illness begins early in adolescence and lasts for several years. A similar severity of anorexic symptoms may lead to the problem of osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones, later in life.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Janssen I, Katzmarzyk PT, Ross R. Waist circumference and not body mass index explains obesity-related health risk. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:379-84 PMID 14985210 The Oxford English Dictionary (website) Vangipuram SD, Sheele J, Atkinson RL, Holland TC, Dhurandhar NV. A human adenovirus enhances preadipocyte differentiation. Obes Res 2004. Flier JS. Obesity wars: molecular progress confronts an expanding epidemic. Cell 2004. Levine JA, Lanningham-Foster LM, McCrady SK, Krizan AC, Olson LR, Kane PH, Jensen MD, Clark MM. Interindividual variation in posture allocation: possible role in human obesity. Science 2005. Lopez R. Urban sprawl and risk for being overweight or obese. Am J Publ Health 2004. Zagorsky JL. Is Obesity as Dangerous to Your Wealth as to Your Health? Res Aging 2004;26:130-152. PDF fulltext (http://roa.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/26/1/130). Whitmer RA, Gunderson EP, Barrett-Connor E, Quesenberry CP Jr, Yaffe K. Obesity in middle age and future risk of dementia: a 27 year longitudinal population based study. BMJ 2005.

Villedo 2 LYCEUM-NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Dagupan City

CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF TEENAGE GIRLS OBSESSION IN LOSING WEIGHT

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for GEC-Engl 1 (Communication Arts )

by Cherry May B. Villedo, BSN I-6 October 2007

Villedo 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page…………………………………………………………………. i Acknowledgements………………………………………………………

ii

Dedication………………………………………………………………… iii Table of Contents……………………………………………………….. Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

iv

INTRODUCTION Background of the Library Research…………………………

1

Statement of the Problem………………………………………

2

Significance of the Library Research…………………………

2

Scope and Limitations…………………………………………

3

Definition of Terms………………………………………………

3

DISCUSSION What is Anorexia

6

Causes and Effects of Teenage obsession in losing weight

7

Statistics and Issues

9

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary …………………………………………………

11

Conclusions……………………………………………

12

Recommendations………………………………………

12

Bibliography……………………………………………………………

13

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Acknowledgment

The researcher would like to extend his insightful thanks and gratitude to the following person who extend their help.

First of all, to the Heavenly Father, who showered her with wonderful gift and blessings and strength to surpass problems and obstacles that come in her way.

To her family most especially to her parents for their untiring support that serves as an inspiration to her all the way to finish this research.

Finally, to her English Instructor for the positive outlook portrayed on us and for the encouragement and guidance to make this research paper complete and for all the suggestions, comments and support in order to improve this research paper.

Cherry May B. Villedo

Villedo 2 Dedication

The researcher wholeheartedly dedicate this research paper to her parents, friends classmates, Beloved Instructor, faculty of Lyceum Northwestern University. And to our Lord for He is the one who help her a lot in materializing, research and compiling this project.

Cherry May B. Villedo

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