Eating disorders are primarily psychological in origin. In spite of it, there are many of these disorders not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This manual is published by the American Psychiatric Association and guides doctor in the United States and other parts of the world too in diagnosis and treatment.
Eating disorder facts should be known to the people inorder to deal with the complications better. Many insurance agencies refer to the DSM for either including or excluding certain eating disorders from the list of ailments covered by them. Awareness of not only the medical aspects but also the issues related to insurance coverage of these disorders proves handy in the long run.
Top Ten Eating Disorder Facts in the United States:
- Binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most common forms of this complication affecting the physical and emotional health of the patients.
- 5—10 million females and 1 million males are estimated to be affected by eating disorders in this country.
- The causes of these disorders are complex, not understood well and the consequences are severe even leading to death.
- Symptoms of eating disorders start becoming apparent even before the birth of the baby and continue to vary in severity through out the life of the patient.
- Child abuse, social isolation, parental influence, peer and cultural pressure are some of the environmental factors which play a vital role in developing and sustaining of these conditions.
- Low self-esteem, depression, a need to be accepted, anxiety, inability to deal with emotions & personal issues are some of the common causes in both men and women patients of eating disorders.
- Alcohol abuse, substance abuse, self injury and suicide are common among patients suffering from eating disorders.
- Acne, tooth lose, diarrhea, kidney failure, constipation and osteoporosis are some of the complications associated with this ailment.
- According to the American Family Physician, the most powerful tool for diagnosing eating disorders is the medical history of the patients.
- The treatment of eating disorders depend on the type and severity. Due to the lack of coverage of these disorders by insurance agencies, the treatment is expensive and the full recovery rate lies any where between 50- 85 percent.
Eating disorder facts are hard to find as relatively less number of research studies are carried out on the topic. Moreover, most of the studies cannot come out with conclusive research much to the frustration of the researchers and the patients.
