What is an Eating Disorder?
Eating disorders are psychological disorders related to abnormal eating habits.
Types of Eating Disorder
There are 3 types of eating disorders:
- Binge eating: Also referred to as gluttonous eating, it results in overweight or obesity with increased risk of heart diseases, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
- Anorexia: refusal to eat, in the fear of putting on weight. Indulge in excessive or compulsive dieting and exercising although they are emaciated. They usually avoid food, eat in private and measure every bite they take.
- Bulimia: gluttonous eating, followed by removal of the food by forceful vomiting or through laxatives. Bulimic patients indulge in excessive exercising, eat in private, and often abuse alcohol and drugs. Bulimia results in excess stomach ulcers that damage the food tube (oesophagus), salivary glands in the cheeks and tooth enamel.
Eating disorders occur more commonly in girls and are more likely to occur during your child’s teen years. The disorder may develop due to social, biological and behavioural factors. It may be caused due to anxiety, depression, distress, the feeling of helplessness, low self-esteem, fear of becoming fat and substance abuse.
Treatment for Eating Disorder
Your paediatrician may prescribe antidepressant medication and recommend psychotherapy, behavioural therapy, and nutritional counselling. Please contact Mosaic Medical Centre for the best healthcare facility for your child.
