You Will Emerge Victorious! An Organization for Women of Color with Eating Disorders

Thought for the Day

2011-12-31T11:05:00.000-05:00

"When you stop telling yourself what you could be, you can start enjoying what you already are."

"What Drunkorexia Is Doing To College Students"

2011-12-31T10:30:00.002-05:00

What Drunkorexia is Doing to College Students

At first, "drunkorexia" may sound like kind of a funny word, jokingly made up to describe a situation in which college students and others forgo food in order to be able to afford more alcohol and feel higher effects of alcohol on an empty stomach. But what some may brush off as crazy college-kid behavior is actually a serious problem that can have highly damaging consequences both in long- and short-term health. Of course, that hasn't stopped college students from engaging in this unhealthy trend, and a study at the University of Missouri-Columbia indicated that one in six students had practiced drunkorexia within the last year. Typically, drunkorexia is done by women; the study showed that three out of four drunkorexia respondents were female.
Students may not realize that drunkorexia is incredibly damaging to their health, but the fact remains that the practice puts them at risk for problems like sexually transmitted diseases, malnutrition, and even seizures and comas. Specifically, the University of Missouri study indicates that drunkorexia may lead to:
sexually transmitted diseases
HIV
drunk driving
alcohol poisoning
injury risk
perpetrating or being a victim of sexual assault
passing out
malnutrition
heart problems
cognitive disabilities
seizure
comas
organ failure
All of the possible effects are disturbing, but perhaps the most worrisome are heart problems and cognitive disabilities that can stem from drunkorexia-induced malnutrition. STDs, injury, or sexual assault are without a doubt difficult to bounce back from, but malnutrition-induced heart problems and cognitive disabilities are something you just can't take back. Cognitive problems are especially disturbing for college students, as they can result in "difficulty concentrating, studying, and making decisions." These are long-term health issues brought on by drunkorexia that can follow a college student for the rest of her life. That is, assuming that the student survives past the possibility of seizures, comas, and organ failure.
So it seems that a practice that may be approached lightheartedly is in fact a very serious problem that doesn't just stop with fun (and possible weight loss) one night. Used as a regular practice, drunkorexia can scar you for life and even end in death. And although the long-term effects are certainly frightening, the short-term possibilities of drunkorexia aren't incredibly easy hurdles to get over, either. Just one night of drunkorexia can have serious consequences, with higher levels of intoxication and starvation putting students at risk for dangerous behavior. At high levels of intoxication, students lose the ability to make good decisions, which can lead to dangerous situations like having unprotected sex, or even being involved in a rape, driving drunk, and becoming injured as a result of stunts, fights, or simply an inability to function properly. In addition to these risks, just one night of intense drinking on an empty stomach can lead to blackouts, hospitalization, and death from alcohol poisoning. Clearly, drunkorexia has serious and lasting consequences, even for students who aren't repeat offenders.

Drunkorexia is a scary situation for any college student, but for women, the problem is compounded. Female students are not only more prone to engage in drunkorexia, but they are also at a higher risk of problems from its effects. Dr. Valerie Taylor, chief of psychiatry at Women's College Hospital in Toronto indicates that female college students are more likely to engage in drunkorexia due to social pressure to stay slim. Even worse, female students are more likely to experience higher effects (meaning: reach alcohol poisoning and organ damage faster) because women metabolize alcohol faster than men. These facts combined with a higher risk of sexual assault mean that girls in college are hit with an even scarier drunkorexia situation.
How did things get so bad? It's one thing to have an eating disorder, and another to have a substance abuse problem, but combined, they're an incredible problem to overcome. Dr. Bunnell, former president of the National Eating Disorders Association, says that college students often suffer from an obsession with being skinny, while at the same time noticing the social acceptance of alcohol and drug abuse. In a world where celebrities checking into rehab is a regular practice and can even be "downright chic," it's not hard to understand why college students, especially female students, might think that drunkorexia is OK. But on top of social pressures, psychologists share that eating disorders may also be rooted in deep emotional pain. Alcohol, binging, and purging can provide an outlet for mental anguish, including childhood traumas like sexual abuse and neglect.
Such deep problems don't often come with an easy cure, and in some cases, require hospitalization and rehab. Judy Van De Veen suffered from eating disorders for years, and also took up drinking in later years. Things got so bad, she had to join a 12-step program and spent two years in and out of rehab, which cost her $25,000 out of her own pocket. None of them helped, but after becoming pregnant and joining support groups to address her daughter's caloric needs, she found an "excuse to eat" and be happy about it. Although Van De Veen's case is an extreme one, it offers a cautionary tale for students who are engaging in drunkorexia. Without help, things can go too far, resulting in a problem that can haunt you for decades, cost thousands of dollars, and even put your future family at risk.
We hope it's clear by now that drunkorexia is not harmless and is actually quite dangerous to the lives and long-term health of college students. So what can you do to avoid it and stop the practice on campus? FastWeb points out that college is a great place to simply ask for help. There are resources on every college campus to deal with not only alcohol abuse, but also eating disorders. College counselors are there to help, and your student fees have already paid for the visits. If you or a friend are suffering from drunkorexia, don't hesitate to speak up and get help while you still can. Be supportive with friends who may have a drunkorexia problem, offering positive reinforcement as well as fun alternatives to drinking, like movies and going out to dinner. It's also a good idea to set a good example by making responsible decisions with alcohol or avoiding it completely.

"Admire what's beautiful, but worship the One who created beauty."

2011-04-14T13:45:00.000-04:00

Dear God,

Please forgive me for wanting to become a fantasy,
an image created by this world,
instead of the real me created by You.

I do not want to worship human beauty.
I want to worship You alone.
I want to set my eyes on You
and to seek to become like You in every way.
Even now, Lord, you say I am beautiful.
When You look at me, You see Your perfect Son,
and all my flaws are eclipsed by His radiance.
Thank You, God, for the beauty that abounds in this world.

Thank You for uniquely feminine beauty, too.
Please help me to respond rightly to every lovely image.
May I admire all that is lovely in this world,
without worshipping it,
without coveting it,
without letting idolatry belittle my soul.
Beautiful Lord,
maker of everything truly beautiful,
I worship and serve You alone.
Amen

- H. H. Kopp

2009-09-27T14:03:00.001-04:00

Message from the Founder

2009-09-15T13:44:00.005-04:00

Body image concerns are universal and, how the concerns are addressed, depend on the individual.

During my research on ED, I've discovered that some individuals eat moderately with a healthy lifestyle & exercise. While others, use various pills & or powders, some go under the knife, & those with ED are on a different level, with various issues that underlie their concerns with their bodies. Nonetheless, most of us at some time wanted to modify our bodies.

When organizing ywev, my mission was to help those not only with ED but, those with excessive body image concerns. In the future, such concerns will be addressed.

Please visit daily for updates & meet the ywev Board Members.

Catherine W. Pinder
Founder & Chairman ywev

JOURNEY

2009-08-24T06:30:00.004-04:00

"Believe you can navigate through this time of darkness, fear or confusion. Visualize the fact that even on a cloudy night the moon is beyond the clouds trying to push back darkness and show you the way."

-Farber & Zerner

My Story as an African American Woman with Bulimia Nervosa

2009-08-23T10:50:00.008-04:00

Like a lot of people who are concerned about body weight and those who yo-yo diet, our weight tend to fluctuate. After my 24th birthday, I was determined and motivated to lose weight once and for all! My weight program began with me weighing 185 lbs (I'm 5'5" by the way). I did the Slim Fast diet while my exercise regime was working out with Richard Siimmons. I lost 25 lbs (we're not going to even go there with the haters who tried to sabotage me). By my 25th birthday, I was 160 lbs and upgraded my exercise routine a little, and by the age of 27, I was 150 lbs but, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get below 150 lbs! So, one day, I was watching a talk show, can't remember which one, and there were 3 women and 1 man on the panel with eating disorders. I became intrigued because I've never heard of such a disease. I totally dismissed all the negative side affects they wee discussing like, the male guest who wore a bag on his side, and I concentrated on everything they did to lose weight, from vomiting to laxative abuse. Finally, I found a diet that works!

At first purging was difficult and painful. I needed to find an easier way to get rid of my food intake. So, I researched people with eating disorders. One of the ways to get rid of the food was to purge right after eating and to eat foods that are easy to purge like, ice cream. Okay! That'll work! And, in deed it did. I abused laxatives, diet pills and cough syrups. I believed there was an ingredient in the cough syrup that helped weight-loss but, I think in reality it was the cold itself that contributed to me losing weight. So, I tried consistently to keep colds. Also, I looked through my mothers' "Vitamin Bible" by Dr. Earl Mindell and made a list of every vitamin that contributed to weight loss. I then, created a hefty bill for myself by purchasing every vitamin on the list.

I became a pro at vomiting. I no longer needed to stick my finger down my throat; all I had to do was put my head over the toilet bowl and allow the purging to happen naturally. After every major meal I purged. After all the snacks in between meals, I purged. I even purged 2 potato chips. I purged soft drinks, especially shakes. I purged and purged and purged! and, although my weight-loss was slow, I continued the madness. At least I was getting thinner. I didn't watch any talk shows that didn't consist of eating disorders. I only watched them because I wanted to learn new ways to loose weight. By the way, every show I watched, there wasn't a single African American telling his/her story.

Bingeing and purging, bingeing and purging, bingeing and purging! What am I doing to myself?! My stomach ached (today I take medication for acid reflux disease), my spine ached, I developed rashes on the back of my neck. I looked pale and my eyes sunken in. My short term memory, if I remembered anything at all, begun to be shorter. My voice, that once sounded like spun silk now sounds harsh and scratchy. My beautiful teeth that I inherited from my mother were dull and sensitive. But still, the obsession to be thin was way too important. So, I increased my work-out routine. Instead of working out twice a day, I now work-out 3 to 5 times a day.

The scale, toilette and compulsive exercising were my best friends. Sometimes, I would wake-up 2 in the morning and do a vigorous work-out. I would then work-out before I went to work. I would come home from work and exercise again before hitting the gym. After the gym, I would indulge myself in another vigorous work-out. By the time, I went to my 10th year class reunion, the pantyhose I wore at 185 lbs and a size 18 misses, I now was wearing as a body stocking and now a size 8. I was a hit at the reunion and smaller at age 28 than I was at age 18! But still, I wasn't thin enough at 135 lbs. My family and friends thought I weighed less, but with all the exercising, I believed it was more inches that were lost than weight. I began to get depress and wonder why the the weight wasn't coming-off faster. Through my research of bulimia, it is said that bulimics don't really notice a change in their body weight because although they purge, some of the food still get digested.

Irregular menstruation, paleness, low body temperature, dizziness, irregular heart beat, hair loss, compulsive exercising, abuse of laxatives, diet pills, and diuretics, mood shifts, social isolation, sore throat, frequent bathroom visits, fasting, and guilt were just some of my experiences as a bulimic.

The day my mother, found a bag of vomit in the trash can, was the most embarrassing moment of my life. I believed she felt a little responsible because she used to tease me about my weight. She had no clue that I allowed a number on a scale to determine my self-worth and that I avoided family and social functions because I thought I wasn't thin enough. Another embarrassing moment was when my ex-boyfriend, noticed that after we have dinner, I would quickly go to the bathroom. One night, after dinner, I did my normal routine of purging when there was a knock at the bathroom door. I quickly sat on the toilette. When he entered, he asked what I was doing. Of course I lied, he then asked me to get off the toilette. There it was my whole dinner right before his eyes! He was hurt and concerned and asked why. To this day, I can't recall what I said to him. Nevertheless, both embarrassing moments didn't change me; my goal to be thin remained my sole ambition.

By the age of 32, I was tired of being tired. I was tired about my constant thinking of food and that damn scale! So, instead of seeking help, I helped myself, well sort of. I no longer purged my whole meal just some of it. My exercise programs went back to twice a day. And, yes, the weight crept back on but, I was happy because I wasn't purging all my food and abusing diet and diuretic pills. Eventually, I stopped purging all together, I think at age 35. Sometimes I would think of a magic diet like, liposuction. I visited a plastic surgeon once regarding the procedure. He sounded like so many people when looking at me, "but you have such a pretty face." However, beauty to me, most of my life was, the less you weighed the more attractive you were.

Today, at age 42, married and a mother of 5 year old fraternal twins, to be thin is so far down my list of priorities. At times, I envision being a size 8 again but, to go through such drastic measures to achieve it, is so not cool (smile). I still exercise and eat in moderation; I've even joined Weight Watchers. My ambition today, is to be happy and healthy no matter what size I am or what the scale says. Besides, my family needs me; no one can give hugs and kisses like mommy!

Finally, I believe that the reason eating disorders in the African American community is hidden is because our pride would not allow us to expose ourselves to scrutiny and public embarrassment. But, I also believe, African American women who suffer or has suffered from the disease have an obligation to spread awareness about eating disorders and to reassure every man and woman that "no matter how fat or thin, the truest beauty lies within".

Please visit daily for future stories of African American women with Eating Disorders.

By: ywev Chairman/Founder

Women of Color and Eating Disorders

2009-08-23T10:49:00.002-04:00

How is it different for women of color?

Eating disorders among college women of color are often associated with very complex social status in the United States. Whether a woman of color is racially distinct, ethnically distinct, or comes from another country -- to the extent she is a minority, her experience in US society at large will be influenced by all the ramifications and implications of being "different." For many women of color, it is this difference that makes them subject to racism.

The challenges of being a student of color

Students of color will commonly have some of the following experiences -- experiences which are both stressful and not typically felt by white students:

* Isolation
* The "fishbowl" effect of feeling conspicuous and much observed
* Acts and attitudes of prejudice and discrimination against them
* Being the target of stereotypes
* The pressure to acculturate (to modify their cultural identification and practices)

These issues may cause ongoing and considerable distress that can show up in problems with eating or body image concerns.

Conflicting cultural standards for beauty and acceptance

The fact that many women of color are bicultural (meaning that they carry in them the influences and identifications of two different cultures) can complicate and stress their personal experience even more. A common trigger for eating disorders in a woman of color is conflicting cultural standards for beauty and acceptance. Your culture of origin, or the culture with which you mainly identify, may hold one set of standards for beauty; but outside of that environment, you are met with another set of standards altogether. You may have been very pleased with your full-figured body, which always seemed attractive in your world; yet now you are finding that thin and muscular is prized, while soft and round is criticized. You may feel you should change how you look--whether or not your body is actually suited to a different shape. Soon you may find your eating behavior has become disrupted and unnatural because you are going against your own natural inclinations.

Internalization of harmful messages

Ideas of beauty that don't fit the norm are often put down by people who can't relate to them and instead see them as strange. Women commonly internalize this as a devaluing of their images and ideals of attractiveness. Preferences which normally have brought you pride and a feeling of being appreciated, may become something you feel embarrassment about. If you lack sufficient validation of your own culture's ideas of beauty, your social identity (that based on culture, race, ethnicity), and even your sense of self, may be eroded. This may put you at risk for eating concerns.

Women of color who are most vulnerable to developing eating disorders

* Those who are or have been separated from their primary cultural group for a significant amount of time
* Foster children reared by white mothers
* Those acclimating to a different culture
* Those with a eurocentric/dominant culture perception of beauty and attractiveness

Keys to recovery

* Awareness of encountering the above social stressors and related emotional pressures which impact body image and eating
* Maintaining or establishing a positive connection to one's culture of origin
* Developing healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress
* Locating reliable nutritional information relevant to college life
* Talking with other supportive peers and/or a professional who can give support

Adapted from the Boston College Eating Awareness Team
Written by Boston College Counseling Services

How do I Help a Friend who has an Eating Disorder?

2009-08-23T10:28:00.004-04:00

When You Worry About a Friend's Eating

What do I say? What do I do? Who can help? I What can you say? I What can you expect? I What if there are medical concerns?I What if they will talk about it? I What is not helpful? I What can we do about cultural attitudes about weight? I Resources at Brown I Links you can use

What do I say? What do I do? Who can help?

If you have a friend with an eating disorder, or you worry about what might be an eating disorder, you are not alone. Some estimates are that as many as 1 in 3 college women have struggled with weight, food, body image, disordered eating or an eating disorder by the time they graduate from college. Certainly, among your friends and acquaintances there are women and possibly men who have eating concerns.

Perhaps you have become aware of your friend's problem because you have observed their weight changes, or you feel uncomfortable with his preoccupation with dietary restriction, or you have become aware that she abuses laxatives or vomits to purge herself of what she eats. You feel concerned and wonder how to bring up the subject. You worry that your friend will feel "accused" or "diagnosed" and will be angry with you. It's important to keep in mind that hearing honest concern from others helps break denial and often is the first step on the path to acknowledging the problem and getting help.

What can you say?

First of all, you can make sure your friend knows that you care about them. You might say:

"I'm here for you if you need me. I know you're struggling with a lot of stress lately. Let me know how I can help."

You may want to go further and share with her/him what you have observed and talk about your specific concerns. For example:

"I've noticed you've lost so much weight and that you're still dieting and losing. I'm worried about your health."

"It seems like we're always talking about weight and food and exercise. You seem so worried about it and so unhappy with the way you look. I'm worried that maybe you don't feel too good about yourself and that maybe you're depressed."

"I heard you throwing up 3 times last week. I know when that happened before you said you had the flu. I'm really worried that it's more that. I'm scared something will happen to you."

What can you expect?

Your friend may deny or minimize or may say "I used to have a problem but I'm better now," or she may acknowledge the difficulty and want to talk about it. If she denies it and wants to avoid it, you may have to be satisfied to have expressed your concerns directly and let it be, for now. Let her know that you are still her friend and are there to talk if she wants to. If your friend's constant discussion of weight and what s/he eats interferes with your relationship, you may have to put some limits on that behavior. Those topics can be declared off-limits in your conversations with each other. If you are disturbed by your friend's restrictive eating, for example, you may decide not to have meals together.

What if there are medical concerns?

If you are concerned that your friend may be in some medical jeopardy and feel you must do more than just express your concerns to them, you may need to ask for additional help -- from family, a medical provider, or other professionals. You can also talk to a dorm counselor, a Dean of Student Life, Psychological Services, Health Services or Health Education for more advice.

What if they will talk about it?

If your friend is willing to talk and be open about the problem, it's important to listen with empathy and without judgment. It may be hard to understand why someone who is attractive and well-liked would think they are "fat and ugly" or why someone would feel they needed to vomit if they had been "bad" by eating a chocolate chip cookie. It is so tempting to try to use logic, reality, and reason to talk someone out of these "irrational" ideas.

One of the most helpful things you can do is facilitate the person's accessing professional help. For Brown students, this is where Health Education, Health Services, and Psychological Services come in. At Health Education, a registered nutritionist is available to see students individually to help evaluate their nutritional status and eating patterns. Health Services provides medical evaluations and Psychological Services evaluates the overall eating disorder in the context of the person's current and past life, providing treatment recommendations.

What is not helpful?

One thing is almost NEVER helpful: monitoring what someone eats. To be told what to eat, how much to eat, to be watched while eating, etc. would create a problem with food for any of us. Imagine how it affects someone who is literally thinking about food all the time. Resist the pull to monitor, comment or advise about eating.

What can we do about cultural attitudes about weight?

There is something else we can do to help friends who are suffering from eating disorders; something that can enhance our well being and that of the community at large, as well. We need to do all we can to eradicate "fatism." It is a form of prejudice and discrimination just like racism or sexism. It is based on the assumption that there is only one "right" or acceptable way to look. It equates thinness with attractiveness, intelligence, ambition, success, and worthiness. There is no room for variety, for difference, for valuing how we REALLY look instead of how we're "supposed" to look. What a wonderful world it would be if we focused on how each other FELT instead of how we looked. What if there were other ways to know deep inside we're O.K., besides how much we weigh, or how small our waist is, or how big our biceps are? It will take a lot of effort on all our parts to change the way we think. Let's start now. We can create an environment where our self-doubt and unfulfilled longings don't have to be expressed in a war against our bodies.

Adapted from the Boston College Eating Awareness Team
Written by Boston College Counseling Services

How Can Treatment Centers Help You?

2009-08-17T14:35:00.001-04:00

If you have an eating disorder:

You feel all alone - no one cares or understands;
You are confused with what is going on;
You want to find help;
You need support along with your therapy.

There is a support group for you. If you are a family member or loved one:

You feel frightened, confused by the behavior and physical changes you are witnessing;
You want to know what you can do to help;
You want to know what kind of help is necessary and where it is available.

There is a support group for you.

Support Groups for people with anorexia and bulimia.
Separate Support Groups for families and friends,.
Monthly informational meetings with guest speakers.
Telephone Help Line for those seeking support, information and referrals.
Referrals for medical and psychological services.
Information regarding current activities and publications for people with an eating disorder and their family and friends.
Speakers Bureau.
Outreach Program for schools.

Recognition

Anorexia and Bulimia are disorders characterized by preoccupation with food, weight and shape. Compulsive over eaters , as well as others without a full-blown eating disorder, may also suffer some of the symptoms listed below. All may benefit from treatment and should seek specialized care.

Anorexia Danger Signals

Losing a significant amount of weight.
Continuing to diet (although thin).
Feeling fat, even after losing weight.
Fearing weight gain.
Losing monthly menstrual cycle.
Preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition and/or cooking.
Preferring to diet in isolation.
Exercising compulsively.
Bingeing and purging.

Bulimia Danger Signals

Bingeing or eating uncontrollably.
Purging by strict dieting, fasting, vigorous exercise, vomiting, abusing laxatives or diuretics in an attempt to lose weight.
Using bathroom frequently after meals.
Depression or mood swings.
Irregular periods.
Developing dental problems, swollen cheek glands, heartburn and/or bloating.
Experiencing problems with alcohol or drugs.

Treatment

Many patients with eating disorders can make a complete recovery. Effective care usually involves a professional team of specialists - physicians, therapist and dietitians - who develop and coordinate specific approaches that best suit the needs of the patient and his/her family. The following types of treatment may be useful:

Medical Care - to deal with physical problems such as low weight, abnormal menstrual periods, and bloating

Nutritional Counseling - to develop healthier eating patterns

Individual and Family Therapy - to resolve conflicts, build self-esteem, improve relationships

Group Therapy - to understand and manage symptoms and feelings

Medication - to lessen bingeing, depression or obsessive thinking

Hospitalization - to provide safety for patients in medical danger

Support Groups - to offer additional help to patients and families

Above program is taken from American Anorexia Bulimia Association of Philadelphia. Please visit the treatment center of your choice for program guidelines.

Below is a sample list of Eating Disorder Treatment Centers by State.

Eating Disorder Treatment Centers by State

2009-08-17T14:34:00.002-04:00

Treatment Centers

When a treatment team is no longer enough, you may consider a more protective treatment environment, such as residential or a hospital program. The following list is intended to provide a starting point to learn more about treatment options. We believe that all facilities listed here are reputable, however Gürze Books is not responsible for the treatment provided. Use your own good judgment when deciding where to get help, and we wish you success in recovery!

The facilities listed below are by state.
To see them listed in alphabetical order click here.

United States:

Alabama:

Magnolia Creek
Residential Treatment Center for Eating Disorders
P.O. Box 391
Chelsea, Alabama 35043
205 678 4373 or
888 7MAGNOLIA

The Pinnacle Schools
500 Governors Drive
Huntsville, AL 35801
256-518-9998

Arizona:

Healthy Futures
9449 N. 90th St. Suite 210
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
480-451-8500

The Mandel Center
11811 N. Tatum Blvd. Ste 3031
Phoenix, AZ
480-734-1199

Mirasol, Inc.
7650 E. Broadway, #303
Tucson, AZ 85710
1-888-520-1700

ReddStone
A Remuda Program for Boys
1 East Apache Street
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
1-800-445-1900
info@remudaranch.com

Remuda Ranch
Programs for Eating & Anxiety Disorders
1 East Apache Street
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
1-800-445-1900
email: info@remudaranch.com

Rosewood
36075 South Rincon Road
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
1-800-845-2211

Sierra Tucson
39580 S. Lago del Oro Parkway
Tucson, AZ 85739
1-800-842-4487

California:

HOPE for Eating Disorders
Alta Bates Summit-Herrick Campus
2001 Dwight Way, Berkeley CA 94704
Inpatient (510) 204-4405
Outpatient (510) 204-4560

Balanza
1761 Hotel Circle South
San Diego, CA 92108
619-297-4499

The Bella Vita
Los Angeles, CA Woodland Hills, CA
and
La Canada Flintridge, CA
877-912-3552

Casa de Lago
22590 Canyon Lake Drive South
Canyon Lake, CA 92587
1-800-824-4936

Casa Palmera
14750 El Camino Real
Del Mar, CA 92014
1-888-481-4481
info@casapalmera.com

Center for Discovery
4281 Katella Avenue
Suite 111
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
800-760-3934
info@centerfordiscovery.com
www.centerfordiscovery.com

Whittier, CA
Lakewood, CA
Menlo Park, CA
Downey, CA
1

CRC Health Group
20400 Stevens Creek Blvd.
6th Floor
Cupertino, Ca. 95014
(866)549-5034

Del Amo Hospital Eating Disorders Program
23700 Camino Del Sol
Torrance, CA 90505
800-533-5266

Harmony Grove:
Supportive Living for Eating Wellness
San Diego, CA 92130
(858)342-1514

Healthy Within
4510 Executive Dr. 103
San Diego, CA 92121
(858)622-0221

Loma Linda University Behavioral Med. Center
Redlands, CA
1-800-752-5999

Mandometer Treatment for Eating Disorders
11777 Bernardo Plaza Court, Suite 208
San Diego, CA 92128
858-451-1008

Montecatini
2524 La Costa Ave.
Rancho La Costa, CA 92009
760-436-8930

Monte Nido
27162 Sea Vista Dr.
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 457-9958

New Dawn Recovery
2320 Marinship Way Suite 240
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 331-1383

New Directions Eating Disorders Center
14542 Ventura Blvd. Suite 211
Sherman Oaks, Ca 91403
818-377-4442

Oceanaire
866.406.1066
info@oceanaireinc.com
www.oceanaireinc.com

Ohlhoff Eating Disorders Outpatient Program
2418 Clement St.
San Francisco, CA 94121
415-221.3354

Puente de Vida
La Jolla, CA
1-877-995-4337

Rader Programs
Pacific Shores Hospital
2130 N. Ventura Road
Oxnard, California 93036
1-800-841-1515
rader@raderprograms.com

Reasons
4619 Rosemead Boulevard,
Rosemead, CA 91770
626.270.4226

Rebecca's House
23861 El Toro Road, Suite 700
Lake Forest, CA 92630
800-711-2062
info@rebeccashouse.org

Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital
7850 Vista Hill Avenue
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 694-8434

Shoreline Center for Eating Disorder Treatment
Satori House
Long Beach, CA
562-434-6007

Sober Living by the Sea Treatment Centers
CRC Health Group
Newport Beach, CA
(949) 554-1114

South Coast Medical Center
Eating Disorders Treatment
31872 Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 499-7504

Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program
601 University Ave, Ste. 225
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-920-5276

Summit Eating Disorders and Outreach Program
Intensive Outpatient Program
400 Montgomery St., Suite 501
San Francisco, CA 94104
415-788-0158

Torrance Memorial Medical Center
3330 Lomita Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90505
310-325-4353

UCLA Eating Disorders Program
Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA
150 UCLA Medical Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Adolescent inpatient services: 310-267-9140
Adult inpatient services: 310-267-7364
Adult outpatient program: 310-206-3954

The Victorian of Newport Beach
2811 Villa Way
Newport Beach, CA 92663
800-647-0042

Colorado:

Children's Hospital
13123 East 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045
1-800-624-6553

Denver Health A.C.U.T.E Medical Center
777 Bannock Street
Denver, Colorado 80204-4507
877-228-8348

Eating Disorder Center of Denver
950 South Cherry St., Suite 1010
Denver, CO 80246
1-303-771-0861

Eating Recovery Center
Nourishing Health
Denver, CO
1-877-825-8584

La Luna Center
3002 Bluff St. Ste. 200
Boulder, CO 80301
720-470-0010

New Directions Eating Disorders Center
2121 S. Oneida #412
Denver, Co 80224
303-694-7484

Connecticut:

The Institute of Living
400 Washington Street
Hartford, CT 06106
1-800-673-2411

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

Wellspring
21 Arch Bridge Rd.
Bethlehem, CT 06751
203-266-8000

Florida:

The Boswell Center
6817 Southpoint Parkway, Suite 904
Jacksonville, FL 32216
904-332-9100

Canopy Cove
13305 Mahan Dr.
Tallahassee, FL 32309
1-800-236-7524

Center for Eating and Weight Disorders
Assessment and Psychotherapy Services, Inc.
2155 Main Street
Sarasota, Florida 34237
(941) 365-2962

Fairwinds Treatment Center
1569 South Fort Harrison
Clearwater, Florida 33756
1-877-ANOREXIA

La Bonne Maison
Tampa, FL and Orlando, FL
1-800-824-8580

Milestones at High Point
5960 Southwest 106th Ave
Cooper City, FL 33328
800-347-2364

Oliver-Pyatt Centers
www.oliverpyattcenters.com
Miami, FL
866-511-HEAL (4325)

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

Turning Point of Tampa, Inc.
6227 Sheldon Rd.
Tampa, FL 33615
800-397-3006

The Willough at Naples
9001 Tamianm Trail East
Naples, FL 34113
1-800-722-0100

Georgia:

Ridgeview Institute
3995 South Cobb Dr.
Smyrna, GA
1-800-329-9775

Peachford Hospital
2151 Peachford Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30338
770-455-3200

Hawaii:

Aloha Healing Retreats
P.O. 1850
Pahoa, Hawaii 96778
1-888-967-8622

Anorexia and Bulimia Center of Hawaii
Kailua, Oahu, Maui, HI
1-808-262-0398

Illinois:

Alexian Brothers Medical Center, IL
1650 Moon Lake Boulevard
Hoffman Estates, IL 60194
1-800-432-5005

Arabella House
806 Edgewater
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 646-6798

ENH Highland Park Hospital
Center for Eating Disorders
777 Park Avenue West
Highland Park IL 60035
847-480-2617

Insight Psychological Center
4711 W. Golf Rd. Ste 403
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 604-1918

Linden Oaks at Edward
801 South Washington Street
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 305-5500

Timberline Knolls
40 Timberline Dr.
Lemont, IL 60439
630-343-2346

Indiana:

Eating Disorders Center of Indiana
3945 Eagle Creek Parkway
Suite C
Indianapolis IN 46254 lah
317-329-7071

Selah House
2541 North Shore Blvd
Anderson, IN 46011
(888) 641 - 0022

Kansas:

Menninger Clinic
Topeka, KS
1-800-351-9058

Louisiana:

Depaul Tulane Behavioral Health Center's Eating Disorders Program
1040 Calhoun Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
1-800-548-4183

River Oaks Hospital
Eating Disorder Treatment Center
1525 River Oaks Road West
New Orleans, LA 70123
1-800-366-1740

Maine:

Mercy Hospital
144 State Street
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 879-3795

Maryland:

Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard & Enoch Pratt Hospital
6501 N. Charles Street Unit B-5
Baltimore, Maryland 21204
Phone: 410-938-5252

Washington Center for Eating Disorders & Adolescent Obesity
6410 Rockledge Drive, Suite 412
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
(301) 530-0676

Massachusetts:

Arbour Hospital
49 Robinwood Ave
Boston, MA 02130-2156
(617)522-4400

Cambridge Eating Disorder Center
3 Bow Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
main: 617-547-2255
residential program: 617-661-0841

Laurel Hill Inn
P. O. Box 368
Medford MA 02155-0004
781-396-1116

The Klarman Eating Disorders Center
at McLean Hospital
115 Mill St.
Belmont, MA 02478
email: klarmancenter@mclean.org
(617)855-3410

Walden Behavioral Care
9 Hope Ave.
Waltham, MA
881 647-6727

and

109 Main st.
Northampton MA
413 582-0100

Westwood Pembroke Health System:
The Eating Disorders Program
New England
1-617-762-7764 x488
1-800-22-ACCES

Michigan:

Forest View Psychiatric Hospital
1055 Medical Park Drive S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
1-800-949-8439

Four Seasons Treatment Center
1176 S. Main St.
Plymouth, MI 48170
(734) 416-3341

Minnesota:

The Emily Program
2550 University Avenue West, Suite 314N
St. Paul, MN 55114
(651) 645-5323

Methodist Hospital
Eating Disorders Institute
6490 Excelsior Blvd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
(952) 993-6200

Mississippi:

Pine Grove Women's Center
3875 Veteran's Memorial Drive
Hattiesburg, MS 39403
1-888-574-HOPE
info@pinegrove-treatment.com

Missouri:

Castlewood Treatment Center for Eating Disorders
800 Holland Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63021
636-386-6611

Eating Disorder Recovery Center
1034 S. Brentwood Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63117
(314)721-5514

McCallum Place
231 W. Lockwood Ave Ste. 201
St. Louis, MO 63119
314-968-1900

Montana:

Rimrock Foundation
1231 N. 29th St.
PO Box 30374
Billings, MT 59107
1-406-248-3175
1- 800-227-3953

Nebraska:

Children's Hospital of Omaha, NE
8200 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE 68114
402-955-6190

OMNI Behavioral Health
8715 Oak St.
Omaha, NE 68124
402-333-0898

Nevada:

Center for Hope of the Sierras
1453 Pass Drive
Reno, Nevada 89511
1-775-828-4949Ê

New Hampshire:

Westwood Pembroke Health System:
The Eating Disorders Program
New England
Information: (617) 762-7764 x488
Admissions: 1-800-22-ACCES

New Jersey:

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

Somerset Medical Center
110 Rehill Avenue
Somerville, NJ 08876
1-800-914-9444

University Medical Center at Princeton
253 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
1-877-932-8935

New Mexico:

The Life Healing Center of Santa Fe
25 Vista Point Rd.
Santa Fe, NM 87508
(877)907-6237

New York:

Avalon Eating Disorder Center
346 Harris Hill Road
Williamsville, NY 14221
(716) 839-0999

The Eating Disorder Resource Center
24 East 12th St. Suite 505
New York, NY 10003
(212) 989-3987

Oliver-Pyatt Centers
www.oliverpyattcenters.com
866-511-HEAL (4325)

Ophelia's Place
407 Tulip St.
Liverpool, NY 13088
315-451-5544x10

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

North Carolina:

Carolina House
176 Lassiter Homestead Road
Durham, North Carolina 27713
866-540-5240

Structure House
Durham, NC
1-800-553-0052

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

North Dakota:

Eating Disorder Institute
Meritcare South University
1720 S. University Dr.
Fargo, ND 58122
800-437-4010 x 4111
701-234-4111

Ohio:

Laurelwood Eating Disorders Program
35900 Euclid Ave.
Willoughby, OH 44094
1-800-438-4673

Lindner Center of HOPE
4075 Old Western Row Road
Mason, Ohio 45040
513 / 536-HOPE

River Centre Clinic
5465 Main St.
Sylvania, OH 43560
1-419-885-8800

Sibcy House
4075 Old Western Row Road
Mason, Ohio 45040
513 / 536-HOPE

Oklahoma:

Laureate Eating Disorders Program
6655 South Yale Avenue
Tulsa, OK
1-800-322-5173 Option 3

Rader Programs
Brookhaven Hospital
201 South Garnett
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74128-1800
1-800-841-1515
rader@raderprograms.com

Oregon:

A Better Way Counseling Center
818 NW 17th Av.
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 226-9061

Aliveness Institute Healing Retreats
BodyWay’s Unique and Customized Programs for Eating Disorder Recovery
Arnold & 35th
Portland OR 97219
503.293.8906; 1-800-765-1319

Kartini Clinic
2800 N. Vancouver, Suite 118
Portland, OR 97227
(503) 249 8851

Pennsylvania:

Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment
4200 Monument Road
Philadelphia, PA 19131
(215) 456-8000

Friends Hospital Eating Disorders Program
4641 Roosevelt Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19124
(215) 831-4600

Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Eating Disorders Program
905 W. Governor Road Suite 250
Hershey, PA 17033
717-531-2099
www.PennStateHershey.org/eatingdisorders

UPMC
Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic (WPIC)
3811 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2593
877-624-4100

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

South Carolina:

Hilton Head Health Institute
14 Valencia Road
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
1-800-292-2440

Tennessee:

Center for Eating Disorders at Focus Health
7429 Shallowford Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
1-800-675-2041
www.focuscenterforeatingdisorders.com

The Ranch
P.O. Box 38
Nunnelly, TN 37137
1-800-849-5969

The Renfrew Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Wilton, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee
1-800-RENFREW

SOLACE, LLC
3085 South Broad Street
Chattanooga, TN 37408
423-752-5207

Texas:

Cedar Springs
4613 Bee Caves Road, Suite 104
Austin, TX 78746
877.755.2244
512.732.2400

La Que Sabe ED Clinic
4103 Marathon Blvd.
Austin, TX 78756
512-478-9240

Menninger Clinic
Houston, TX
1-800-351-9058

Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
8200 Walnut Hill Lane
Dallas, TX 75231
1-800-411-7081

Sante Center For Healing
914 Country Club Rd.
Argyle, TX 76226
1-800-258-4250

Shades of Hope Treatment Center
P.O. Box 639
Buffalo Gap, TX 75908
1-800-588-HOPE

Cadwalder Behavioral Clinics
30903 Quinn Road
Tomball, TX 77375
281-351-6644
866-351-6644 (toll free)

Utah:

Avalon Hills Eating Disorder Clinic
7852 West 600 North
Petersboro, UT 84325
(800) 330-0490
info@avalonhills.org

Center for Change
1790 North State Street
Orem, UT 84057
1-801-224-8255

New Life Center
1255 E. 3900 S
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
(888) 281-3353

Vermont:

Brattleboro Retreat
75 Linden Street
P.O. Box 803
Brattleboro, VT 05302
1-800-738-7328

Green Mountain at Fox Run
Fox Lane, Box 164
Ludlow, VT 05149
800-448-8106

Washington:

A Place of Hope
The Center for Counseling & Health Resources, Inc.
547 Dayton
Edmonds, WA 98020
1-888-771-5166

Moore Center, The
1601 114th Av. SE, #180
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 451-1134

Wisconsin:

Rogers Memorial Hospital ED Center
34700 Valley Road
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
1-800-767-4411

CANADA:

Beau Cote Centre For Eating Disorders Inc.
RR#1, AR-49
Bowen Island, B.C. V0N 1G0
1.888.947.9003

The Last Resort
c/o McCarroll & Associates Inc.
Seefried Plaza, Suite 208
6036 - 3 St. SW
Calgary, Alberta Canada T2H 0H9
1-403-209-0224

Marnies Place
Brantford, Ontario
CANADA
519-752-5468

New Realities Eating Disorders Recovery Centre
62 Charles Street East, Suite 103
Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1T1
Toronto: 416 921-9670
Thornhill: 905 763-0660

SACRED's Eating Disorder Recovery Program
#182, 10654-82 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T6E 2A7
(780)903-3300

Westwind Eating Disorder Recovery Centre
458 14th St.
Brandon, MB R7A 4T3
Canada
1-204-728-2499

MEXICO:

Comenzar de Nuevo, AC
Association for the Prevention, Detection and Treatment of ED
Avenida Humberto Lobo No. 240 Local 8
Colonia Del Valle
San Pedro Garza Garcia, NL 66252 Mexico
Phone: (52) (81) 81 29 46 83
(52) (81) 81 29 46 84

ECUADOR:

The Center, A Place of Hope, Ecuador S.A.
La Cumbre N34-110 entre Carlos Montúfar y Quiteño Libre
Quito, Ecuador.
Phones: (593 2) 224 8442 and (593 2) 227 5575

www.bulimia.com

Celebrities with Eating Disorders

2009-08-17T14:32:00.001-04:00

Daniel Johns

He's a much loved rock'n'roller who's married to one of the world's most beautiful women. But singer Daniel Johns has finally revealed the horror behind his teenage anorexia - a condition which nearly left him dead.

Johns has admitted he was close to suicide a number of times as he battled the eating disorder in his late teens. It is the first time the singer has spoken at length about his anorexia, a problem which is affecting increasing numbers of teenage boys in Australia.

Elton John

(Birth name Reginald Kenneth Dwight)
Elton John attended the Royal Academy of Music from 1958 to 1964 on a piano scholarship at age 11. He dropped out just before final exams to pursue show business. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He was married in 1984 to Renate Blauel who was a sound engineer. They divorced 4 years later, In 1990 he entered rehabilitation for drugs, alcohol and bulimia. In recovery, he lost weight and underwent hair replacement. He afterward decided to not fight his emotions and took a male lover. He was good friends with legend John Lennon and was Godson to Sean Ono Lennon, son of John and Yoko. In 1997 he was Knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and he re-wrote and sang "Candle in the Wind" as a tribute to his friend Princess Lady Diana at her funeral.

Elvis Presley

Elvis suffered with bipolar disorder, which is a more technical name for manic depression. Elvis' substance abuse, eating disorders, and chronic depression should be placed in the larger context of a personality disorder. We think that this will shed new light on the issue of Elvis' death and will take it out of the narrow context of suspected overdose and addiction to the larger and more fundamental issues of Elvis' childhood, family history, the cultural influences of the times in which he lived and other factors which contributed to a possible personality disorder.

Franz Kafka

Poet Franz Kafka, who wrote the short story "The Hunger Artist", suffered from anorexia. The evidence for the hypothesis that the poet Franz Kafka had suffered from an atypical anorexia nervosa is presented. Kafka was slim and underweight throughout his life and showed an ascetic attitude and abjuration of physical enjoyment and pleasure (fasting, vegetarianism, sexual abstinence, emphasis on physical fitness). The analysis is mainly based on Kafka's own descriptions in his letters, diaries, and literary work. Kafka was achievement oriented, reported many sadomasochistic fantasies, and had an anancastic (obsessive-compulsive) depressive personality.

Gelsey Kirkland

In 1986, Kirkland, with Greg Lawrence, published Dancing on My Grave, a tell-all autobiography detailing her struggles with eating disorders and drug addiction. One of the truths of art and life is that what we see with our eyes is not the whole story. I believe this same truth applies to eating disorders and the obsession with the body. I am not a doctor of anything, but I can offer my perspective on this topic as a person who has been through the goulash, and as an artist from the lopsided world of ballet. From my point of view, narcissistic body image problems exist as a manifestation of our spiritual state. It is not a body issue; it is an issue of the soul. Anorexia is an obsession with externals and, if left unchecked, a shutting down of the body and soul, sometimes tragically to the point of death.

Both ballet and society at large can be accused of the same obsessions: technique, technology, sexy, pretty, information, money--all skimming the surface, all externals. Little or no time is given to the heart, to the story, to meaning. We are presently in a "healthy," "sporty" body image period. We talk openly about health issues. This is good and necessary, however, the body still remains primary. The body rules!

Janet Jackson

Singer Janet Jackson has been quoted in the media as having an ongoing battle with an eating disorder. Sources say she has been battling weight problems most of her life, and recently blew-up to 160 pounds from her normal weight of 118 pounds. "She'll go months eating whatever she can get her hands on, and then she'll go months eating just salads and fruits and drinking Evian water," the family source said. "She's had this feast-or-famine eating disorder for years and has gotten up to 200 pounds or more at times." The source revealed that Jackson is back with her personal trainer, Tony Martinez, in an effort to tone up by the time her new album is released.

For years, Janet says, she fooled everybody--her fans, her friends, even herself--pretending to be this self-assured woman who'd finally taken control of her life, smiling on the outside while she was aching on the inside. "I had my ways of hiding my pain," she confides. "Laughing when there was nothing to laugh at. Smiling when there wasn't anything to smile about. That was just my way of getting through life. Pretending like every thing was okay. I guess I did it so well that I really began to believe it. I fooled myself. Using my escapisms was my thing to not feel my pain--whatever would numb the pain. Food became a favorite anesthetic. "I escaped through eating," she confesses. Until a year, maybe two, before she started recording The Velvet Rope, it hit her If she ever wanted to feel good about herself, she had to stop running away from her feelings.

Janet Jackson's once ripped abs and svelte 118 pound frame has been replaced with 160 lbs of gravy. She has reportedly contacted her old friend and trainer, Tony Martinez, in hopes to shed the 40+ lbs by the time her forthcoming album is released in early spring.
A family friend said, "She'll go months of eating whatever she can get her hands on, and then she'll go months eating just salads and fruits and drinking Evian water. She's had this feast-or-famine eating disorder for years and has gotten up to 200 pounds or more at times."
Janet's reported eating habits may be because of the increased stress of having to support her famous family amid brother Michael's recent legal and financial issues.

The lastest on Janet Jackson according to all the celebrity news in she now once againg has gained weight. At the end of May, Janet Jackson appeared on the cover of US Weekly looking much toned and speaking about how she lost 60 pounds and kept the weight off for more than one year. Now, after just a month and a half, she seems to have gained at least 20 pounds since posing for that cover. Apparently, she didn't "end her yo-yo weight nightmare" after all! Hopefully she can get some help with this.

Maria Conchita Alonso

Beauty pageant winner and actress Maria Conchita Alonso, the first contemporary international Latina superstar, recently began speaking out about her struggle with bulimia. Struggling with the condition for nearly a decade, resulting in damage to her esophagus and her teeth, she eventually sought help for the self-destructive syndrome. With the help of a balanced diet, exercise, and a physician specializing in eating disorders, Maria has learned to control her condition. She also shares her story with audiences across the country in hopes of helping the millions of people afflicted with eating disorders.

Mariah Carey

Mariah's Eating Disorder?

After a period of relative normality, it's good to see communications between Earth and Planet Mariah functioning again, and as bonkers as ever. The latest peep into Carey world centers on Mariah's dietary requirements, which seem surprisingly normal... for an 18 month-old baby. So we skip past Mariah telling Marie Claire about her "up and down" weight, straight to the bit where she admits to using a bib when she's eating in bed.She said: "I am just like, 'Whatever, nobody is looking at me for once!' That's why I don't really like to eat in public. When people say, 'Mariah never eats in public,' I'm like, 'You're right.'" And y'know, diamond-encrusted bibs are like, soooo '80s!

Huckabe

Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, has had major issues with overeating and has been in recovery for some time now. In the deep south where an all-you-can-eat buffet is your divine right, Governor Huckabee has been through many weight-loss programs with short-term and limited results. After being warned about diabetes his doctor had a serious talk to him about a lifestyle change. After former friend and colleague, former governor Frank White died of a massive heart attack Huckabee decided he had better wise up. Today Governor Mike is, and has been, on a tailored designed program.

Oprah Winfrey
The most influential person on TV, Oprah Winfrey, who was raped at the age of nine by her nineteen year old cousin and repeatedly sexually abused, struggled with disordered eating. Oprah, who said about her weight "It's always a struggle. I've felt safer and more protected when I was heavy. Food has always been comforting."

Paula Abdul
Singer and dancer , famous for her daring necklines and skin-tight dresses, has a secret weapon for keeping her figure sexy and trim. She employs a highly priced "food cop" to patrol her kitchen.

Top Hollywood nutritionist Yolanda Berman keeps a strict eye on what 36-year-old Abdul keeps in her pantry, cupboards and fridge. Abdul once thought nothing of sitting down to wolf down a whole cake, a bag of biscuits and a tub of ice cream. Then she would retreat to the bathroom and purge herself of the food. She had to overcome the eating disorder bulimia, whose sufferers binge and purge, by checking into a clinic in 1994. Abdul was once also an exercise junkie, trying to burn off the extra kilojoules she had taken in by over-indulging in food. "I used to be a fanatic," she says. "I used to exercise four or five times a day. "Now it's different. I don't exercise too much for the wrong reasons. Three times a week I'll do some cardiovascular or aerobic activity.

Richard Simmons

Fitness and diet guru Richard Simmons suffered from an eating disorder in the past. Simmons prevailed over his own weight problem before relocating to Los Angeles in 1973. There was no significant fitness movement in this country at the time, and to no avail, Simmons attempted to find a health club that wasn't for people who were already in shape. After traversing the county, looking for a facility for any and everyone, his only alternative was for him to create that safe haven. In 1974, after consulting with doctors and nutritionists to ensure the safety of a program tailored to the needs of everyone, from the overweight and obese, physically challenged to the seniors, a determined Simmons established an innovative place where the overweight of the world were welcomed with open arms. This program was met with instant success and continues today at SLIMMONS in Beverly Hills, where Richard still teaches. While many of his legions of fans are overweight, he also resonates with everyone, anyone who has a few pounds to lose and wants to be fit.

Thandie Newton

Thandie Newton’s dress at last night’s Empire Awards certainly didn’t do anything to improve her super-skinny look. It hung off her body shapelessly and her arms looked like twigs - we suspect the Empire Award she won for Best Actress would weigh more than she did…
Speaking to the Mirror, she said that no one ever accuses her of being too slim because “I keep getting pregnant.”
“So one day I’m slim and the next I have a bump. In the last two years my body has changed so much and breast feeding really helps you to lose weight as well.”
“I think the Hollywood size four is a bad thing. I don’t stick to any diets. I eat when I’m hungry. Thankfully I have my mother’s frame and I’ve always been slim.”

Whitney's Battle Continues

What happened to Whitney? It is amazing that someone so talented can have deteriorated so much. Is her marriage to Bobby Brown to blame or was her downfall inevitable? Who knows?! Since her 1992 marriage to bad boy Brown Houston has been on a steady decline. The marriage has been filled with rumors of infidelity, drug abuse, eating disorders, and physical and mental abuse. This is not the first time Houston has checked herself into rehab. She has tried kicking her addictions twice before once in 2004 and once in 2005. She needs to get her act together, if not for her, for her daughter Bobbi Kristina.

By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 4/20/2006

caringonline.com

Eating Disorders begin to Plague Black Teens

2009-08-17T14:31:00.002-04:00

Note: This article was originally published on December 11, 2000.

Star Jones and Oprah Winfrey embody the cultural tug-of-war faced by African-American teen girls. Recent studies indicate that they too are becoming more vulnerable to the cult of thinness and its accompanying health hazards.

Star Jones

(WOMENSENEWS)--Women of color are pulled between two body ideals: the ideal of extreme thinness in the dominant culture and the historic appreciation of fuller figures in communities of color.

This tug and pull is exemplified by two famous and respected African-American women: Star Jones and Oprah Winfrey.

In a 1999 cover story in Essence, Jones, a host on ABC's "The View," said her body size is only an issue for those who try to make it one. Instead, she said, "I want little black girls out there to say, 'I'm jammin',' instead of buying into the negative images: You're too loud. You're too dark. You're too fat."

Winfrey, on the other hand, has engaged in a long on-going public battle to slim down. In both responses, there's an inherent understanding that the beauty of black women is played out between the beauty standard of the dominant culture and that of communities that value larger women.

However, Winfrey's obeisance to the cult of thinness may be in fact more typical than what is commonly believed.

Until recently, the fascination with weight and its toll on teen-age women has been thought of primarily as a white, suburban problem.

According to the National Eating Disorder Screening Program, 15 percent of all young women have substantially disordered eating behaviors. Of that number, some 2 to 3 percent develop bulimia and about 1 percent become anorexic, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. The data are not broken down by race.
Evidence Growing That Black Teens Are Becoming More Vulnerable

Growing evidence indicates that African-American teen-agers may be falling prey to these disorders as well. Essence magazine commissioned its own eating disorder survey in 1994, based on the premise that black women had been effectively excluded from previous studies. Some 2,000 women responded, mostly from the magazine's middle-class audience. Clinical researchers analyzed the results and concluded that African-American women were at risk for and suffer from eating disorders in at least the same proportions as white women.

Subsequent investigations bear this out. Ruth Striegel-Moore, a psychology professor at Wesleyan University, reached a similar conclusion in her recently published study, "Recurrent Binge Eating in Black American Women." Although not particularly focused on the economic class of participants, Striegel-Moore found that black women experienced binge eating as much as white women and were also more likely to abuse laxatives than white women.

Diane Harris, a professor of psychology at San Francisco State University, argues, however, that community plays an important role in whether African-American teens are vulnerable to eating disorders. Harris says that when young black women start "getting messages from varying places" about the way they should look, it can be hard for them to understand what to do. This can lead to an "ethno-cultural identity crisis," making them "more vulnerable to eating disturbances."

Harris adds that African-American women may become more vulnerable to eating disorders if their peer groups are composed of middle-class white teen-agers.

In her study, "Ethno-cultural Identity and Eating Disorders in Women of Color," Harris says she found that "women of color certainly appeared to demonstrate fewer symptoms of what is a traditional eating disorder, depending on how culturally tied they were to their communities." She added, "Middle-class African-American adolescents unfortunately tended to demonstrate eating disorders more than other African-American adolescents."

The reason may be that women with larger bodies are more generally accepted in the black community or even appreciated, says Shannette Harris (no relation to Diane Harris), an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Rhode Island.

"Context is everything," she said. "Black women are not particularly quick to be rewarded for being thin," since there is no particularly great value placed on thinness in the African-American community. "Younger black girls are more likely to say they want to gain weight. What they choose often correlates to the body shape of their mother."

By: Mashadi Matabane is a New York-based journalist.

www.womensenews.org

Afro-American Women and Eating Disorders

2009-08-17T14:30:00.002-04:00

Much of the research suggest that even though African-American women are heavier than white women, 49% of black females are overweight as opposed to 33% of white females - they are less likely to have disordered eating (or suffer from specific eating disorders) than white women are.

In addition, African-American women are generally more satisfied with their bodies and body shape, basing their definition of attractiveness on more than simply body size. Instead, they tend to include other factors such as how a woman dresses, carries, and grooms herself. Some have considered this broader definition of beauty and greater body satisfaction at heavier weights a potential protection against eating disorders.

In fact, some studies conducted in the early 1990's indicate that African-American women exhibit less restrictive eating patterns, and that, at least among those who are college students, are less likely than white women to engage in bulimic behaviors.

By: www.annecollins.com

Body Image in African American Women

2009-08-17T14:28:00.002-04:00

Body image is an important facet in understanding the phenomenon of eating disorders. Body image concerns are important in the etiology and treatment of eating disorders and obesity. The construct of body image reflects the level of satisfaction one feels regarding his or her body. Body image is a multidimensional construct. It involves race, socioeconomic status, age, as well as, perceptual and attitudinal components. For this reason, research has been done to dispel the myth that all women have a negative body image. Rather, as has been shown, there are definite differences in the perception of body image and self-concept, especially across racial lines. The claims of most studies suggest that African-American women generally have a greater tolerance or acceptability for higher body weight. In addition, African-American women are also more likely to be satisfied if they are at a higher body weight, and still regard themselves as attractive. Research not only confirms these statements, but also draws attention to other important, culturally-relevant factors, such as age in relation to other cultural forces such as, different attitudes and behaviors that shape the body images of African-American women. Finally, since research shows that body image is an important aspect in the etiology of eating disorders and obesity, its influence and the cultural forces and components behind it should be taken into account in treatment and for future research.

According to Altabe's (1996) study, there are differences in body image that can be measured through both quantitative and qualitative means. The participant in the study were volunteer college students at the University of South Florida who were recruited from minority student organizations (Black Student Union, Asian Students Association, etc.) and received extra credit points in exchange for participation. The sample consisted of 150 males and 185 females, and the average age was 21. Ethnicity was deter med by self-identification.

The measures used were the administration of the Body Dissatisfaction scale of the Eating Disorders Inventory, as well as, the Figure Rating Scale. This scale involves the participant looking at a series of silhouettes ranging in size, and asking them to choose which one best represents how they look and how they wished they looked. The discrepancy in these two indicates the level of body dissatisfaction. Participants were also subjected to several questionnaires that measure body image. Questions were included concerning cultural expectations and idealizations,as well as, physical attractiveness, and the importance of physical appearance (Altabe, 1998).

In the figure rating discrepancy, African-American women showed less dissatisfaction than Caucasians and Hispanic-Americans. In the non-weight related body image tests African-American women had more positive cognitions than all other groups, and overall, African-Americans had a higher rating of self-attractiveness. The qualitative analysis of data points out that height was a quality desired or valued by all groups, and all women wanted to be thinner. This suggest that African-American women can possess the desire for a more healthy or lean body shape without letting it destruct their image of themselves and sense of attractiveness. Lastly, the issue of skin tone was brought up among, African-American women. In African-American culture, both dark and light-skin tones carry stereotypes and idealizations that are deeply rooted in the history and experience of African-American in this country. Thus, undoubtedly has some effect on body image. This illustrates the importance of cultural facets of body image.

Also, Henriques, Calhoun, and Cann (1996) conducted a study to clarify the relationship between ethnicity and body satisfaction. In this study, 84 White women and 33 Black women were issued bogus positive or negative social feedback so the effect of the feedback on their body satisfaction could be measure. The body satisfaction of White women decreased with negative feedback and increased with positive feedback; however, this effect did not exist for the Black women (Henriques et al., 1996). The authors argue that this evidence supports the need to differentiate between ethnic groups when dealing with eating disorders and body image.

In the CARDIA study, Smith et al. (1997) examined body image among a population of men and women in a biracial cohort, and revealed that there are significant differences in body image across racial, as well as, gender lines. Body image measures were obtained from 1,837 men (45% Black) and 1,895 women (51% Black) by using measures of body size dissatisfaction and various subscales of the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire. Participants were re-examined in Year 2, 5 and again in Year 7. The participants in this study were recruited from four different geographic locations by community-based sampling, and through membership of a large prepaid health plan. Smith et al (1997) claim that this sample of subjects is more reflective of the population than the studies that use the convenient source of college students for studies. The sample of subjects was controlled for age, gender, and level of education by balancing each component out within the sample, and thus, eliminating potential effects of confounds. However, the recruitment of subjects through their membership in a prepaid health plan suggest that these are people who can afford health care of some type, which could possible result in differences in perception of health, self, and even body image. In addition, due to the length of the entire study the retention of participants dropped. By the 7th year, 85% of Whites and 75% of Blacks were retained from the original sample. This introduces the problem of attitude and behavioral shifts that occur with age. However, Smith et al. (1997) did not focus on body image as related to age within this study.

The measures used in this study included sociodemographic characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, and years of education, which were obtained by a questionnaire. In addition, height and weight were measured order to compute the body mass index. In order to measure body image, the Figure Rating Scale was used to determine the Feel-Ideal discrepancy of the participants. Here participants were asked to choose their ideal figure and then they were asked to choose the figure they felt reflected how they actually perceived themselves. The greater the discrepancy between these two scores, the more dissatisfied one was with their body shape and size. The two subscales of the Multidimensional Body Self-Relation Questionnaire, the Appearance Evaluation subscale and the Appearance Orientation subscale were also used to assess body image. The content and nature of the questions was not discussed in the article. it would be interesting to examine the content of the questions to find if weight-related and non-weight related questions were asked to measure body image. Higher scores on the Appearance Evaluation subscale are associated with greater body satisfaction, and higher scores on the Appearance Orientation subscale reflect a greater importance on physical appearance.

The results of this study not only indicated that African-Americans was more interested in appearance than Whites, but that women were more interested than men. Women were also more displeased with their appearance than men. However, White men were more dissatisfied than Black men, and even though both Black and White women were similarly dissatisfied with appearance Black women were more dissatisfied than White women. In addition, across all groups those who had a high Body Mass Index were more dissatisfied than others. Overall, Smith et al. (1997) suggest that although Black women report similar discrepancies in ideal and current size, they possess some additional source of influence that allows them to feel attractive and satisfied with their appearance even when at higher body weight. The study suggest that these factors may be an additional interest and investment in physical appearance. Personal style and presentation are factors that effect one's evaluation of attractiveness and body image. These are factors that need to be considered when discussing the body image of various cultural groups.

African-American women vary in their perception of body image because their definitions and descriptions of body weight are different (Gore, 1999). These differences are a result of influential variables such as social interaction, gender roles, and racial identity. Each of these factors take place within cultural context, and thus, can effect one's perception and attitudes towards body image and the cultural demands and idealizations of one's culture toward body image. The interaction of these facets is illustrated in the fact that African-American women's frame of reference for normal body weight is much larger than the standard (Gore, 1999) Therefore, the larger ideal body weight that many African-American women embrace could possibly explain the consistency of positive body image and self-esteem independent of body size. This points to some aspect of culture that leads African-American women to believe that their ideal body size is supposed to be higher, and yet for the most part, they still maintain positive body image. There seems to be less social and cultural pressure for African-American women to equate beauty and thinness, and to conform to the standards that are largely based and validated on the image and figures of White women. Thus, as previously mentioned, there must be other factors that influence the conceptual definitions of body size and body image. Research by Bessellieu (1997) of a population of 205 African-American women, reveals that African-American women's body image depended on their perception of body weight. This means that those women who were overweight but did not perceive themselves as being overweight had a more favorable self-image than those women who were overweight and acknowledged their weight status did. Also, dieting behaviors were found only in those women who had a history of weight problems. Bessellieu (1997) also notes that body image in these women was related to broad definitions of beauty that were based more on personal characteristics such as attitude, and less on physical appearance. Lastly, the author of this study did not establish a positive relationship between racial identity and satisfaction of body image, but it was found that negative racial identity was related to body dissatisfaction. This could possibly relate to the findings of Altabe (1997) which discussed skin tone as a non-weight related component of body image. The issue of dark skin versus light skin as well as, one's cultural experience with the stereotypes and idealizations regarding both is a possible area of study for future research in the definitions of beauty and body image in African-American women.

In addition, there is also evidence to explain how African-American women deal with the drive for thinness that is so powerful in American society. Research at Old Dominion University illustrates that not only do White women report a significantly thinner body size than Black women, but they also reported greater social pressure to be thin than Black women (Powell U Kahn, 1995). There was also information presented that revealed White men had less desire to date a woman of heavier ideal body size than Black men for a greater fear of being ridiculed. Powell and Kahn (1995) suggest that these factors reflect a lack of strong social pressure to be thin for African-American women, thus, possibly explains the higher ideal weight of African-American women and their lessened concern with dieting. The greater acceptability of African-American men to be with a woman who has higher body size also seems to be an important component to the total body image of African-American women to a certain extent from feeling the need to succumb to the pressures of the more dominant American culture, which does not value the features and physiques typical of many African-American women. These factors could lead to possible explanations of the low number of African-American women with eating disorders compared with White women.

Age is also an interesting aspect in examining the idea of body image. Body image is a multidimensional psychological construct that is subject to alterations due to experiences. With African-American women attitudes shift with age regarding body image and thinness as illustrated in the following two studies. In a study of 613 preadolescence Black and White girls were given various tests, such as Drive for Thinness Scale, a Criticism about Weight Scale, and the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Striegel-Moore, Schreiber, Pike, Wilfey, and Roden, 1995). Results revealed that both groups associated the drive for thinness with adiposity; however, African-American girls wee influenced by criticism about weight and young White girls were influenced more by physical appearance. According to Stregel-Moore, et al. (1995) the most stunning finding was that there was a greater drive for thinness among young African-American girls. This is surprising due to the low prevalence of anorexia and the higher rate of obesity in African-American women (Striegel-Moore, et al.., 1995). This study sparks a desire to know more about the vulnerability of approaching puberty and how that plays into the already existing cultural conceptualizations about body size, as well as, how young pre-adolescent African-American girls fit into the dominant culture of society. In contrast, Stevens, Kumanyika, and Kell (1994) reveal that elderly Black women wee more likely to feel satisfied with their body weight, and less likely to diet or feel guilty after a meal. This study reflects that there are attitudinal and behavioral changes that occur with age that result in a more positive body image. Also, research on college undergraduates on self-esteem as a function of race and weight reveal that post-adolescent attitudes regarding weight and body image are more positive. Here, 205 White and 70 Black females with an average age of 21.9 wee tested using various measures, such as the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and three subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory (Drive for Thinness, Bulimia, and Body Dissatisfaction). These tests were administered in the form of questionnaires that the participant filled out, and then screened for the variable of weight and diet preoccupation (WDP). As revealed by Jones, M. Moulton, P. Mouton, and Roach (1999), the results show that not only do Black women have a higher ideal body weight, but White women scored higher WDP than Black females (9.65 and 8.5 respectively). There was also a difference in the self-esteem scores of both groups, with Black women showing a higher average than White women (Jones et al., 1999). Jones et al. (1999) report that although both Black and White females posses the desire to lose weight, their ideals contrast regarding ideal and actual weight. In addition, this study reveals that Black women do not equate higher weight with being unattractive, and this attitude becomes more prominent with age.

In Conclusion, research shows that African-American women consistently report greater acceptability for higher body weight, as well as, higher ideal body weights, while still maintaining positive perceptions of body image. Cultural idealizations and expectations serve to shape and mold the definitions and descriptions of beauty and body that contribute to the construct of body image in African-American women. This is exemplified in the lack of social pressure to be thin and the lessened social negativity toward obesity in the African-American community. It is actually somewhat surprising that African-American women continue to have a high body image even though the standards of the dominant cultural forces point toward more European standards. The ultimate blonde-haired, blue-eyed, 5'10", and thin White women has for many years been the standard off of which all other beauty was based, judged, and validated. Thus, the stability of the African-American woman's positive body image seems to be quite a feat in the midst of a culture that looks upon the curves that typify many women., in addition to African-American women as unattractive and even unhealthy. Therefore, one's specific culture seems to provide necessary interactions that contribute to body image. The data p[pointed out by Powell and Kahn (1995), that discusses the greater likelihood of Black men to accept a woman of higher body weight brings forth the possibility of affirmed sexuality by male counterparts as a key component in African-American women's perception of body image. Age is also an important factor in evaluating body image because attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions are subject to change with age. As previously noted by Striegel-Moore (1995), attitudes of pre-adolescent girls are not reflective of the attitudes of post-adolescent African-American women is less effected by body size, and the total perception of body image consists of various components and factors of African-American culture. In the future, the strong cultural influence on body image should be considered in the evaluation of all women in regards to the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. Further research on specific aspects of body image such as, how eating behaviors factor in are suggested to better understand this topic as it relates to the larger issue of eating disorders.

By: Vashti Dotson

Eating Disorders Among Black Women and Other Women of Color

2009-08-17T14:26:00.002-04:00

Like other women throughout the world, black women and other women of color suffer with concerns about body image and undergo anxieties abut what they eat. Several recent studies, however make this reality appear questionable.

By: Patrica Romney Ph.D

White Bias in Research

2009-08-17T14:24:00.002-04:00

In their research, Powell and Kahn asked why "white women are more prone to eating disorders than black women". They found that white women were interested in a much thinner body size than black women and expressed more concern about weight and dieting. They concluded that black culture is more accepting of large size than white culture and that the black subgroup places less emphasis on thinness. Henriques, Calhoun and Cann reported in the Journal of Social Psychology that black women show "less problematic eating behaviors and less dietary restraint". Crago, Shisslak, and Estes reported that although the black women they studied in the United States were heavier than Caucasian women, they were less dissatisfied with their weight, and had fewer weight concerns and a more positive self-image. In contrast to many white women they said, black women perceive themselves to be thinner than they actually are.

These findings seem to suggest that black women are somehow more healthy and balanced abut their eating than their white counterparts,. They implicitly link problematic eating behaviors to dietary restriction. And for unknown reasons these studies do not pick up the widespread weight concerns of women of color. At the same time, however, some of these studies acknowledge that obesity and obesity related health problems are significant among black women across all socio-economic classes. How are we to make sense of this research? Power, it is said, is the ability to define reality. In the field of eating disorders, the powers that be, mainly white researchers studying white subjects, have led to defining eating disorders narrowly as anorexia and bulimia. Given this narrow definition of eating disorders, the recent research on black women and other women of color provides evidence of some foggy conceptualizations. Powell et.al. for example, begin with the assumption that black women are less prone to eating disorders and then focus on thinness as the sole template of disturbed weight and body image. In one part of their paper, Crago et al. state that eating disorders are higher among well educated minority groups, but by naming restriction, vomiting and bingeing, they make clear that they are defining eating disorders solely in terms of anorexia and bulimia. The research by Crago does acknowledge in the end, however, that "Being overweight is a risk factor for eating disorders among minority women...".

This last statement begins to bring us closer to a necessary, more inclusive definition of eating disorders. As a research by Wilfley, Schreiber, Pike, Streigel-Moore, Wright and Rodin reveals, there is more eating pathology among black women than previously thought.

By: Patricia Romney Ph.D

How are Eating Disorders Different Among Women of Color?

2009-08-17T14:22:00.001-04:00

My clinical experience supports the data of the Wilfley team. In communities of black women, the types of disordered eating that predominate are compulsive eating, the consumption of high fat diets, and simple overeating which result in obesity. Obesity can lead, in a higher degree than in the white community, to illnesses like hypertension, heart disease and cancer, and often eventuates in premature death. Obesity is also a factor among poor Latino women, and is a major factor for many native women as well. For black women and other women of color then, eating problems must include overeating, high fat consumption and obesity.

One of the members of my Wild Geese Group )a group for women fighting to overcome eating disorders) was a young native university student who weighed close to 300 pounds. Aside from her weight problems. Rene also struggled with a chemical dependency. Rene's clinical picture included several classic precursors of eating disorders. Her parents were divorced and she had been raped as a high school student. Cultural issues were also important. She had a family history of obesity and she linked her food and alcohol substance abuse problems to her life on the reservation. She described vividly her life on a reservation where unemployment was high and poverty was an ongoing fact of life. Food availability was inconsistent, and cheap and fattening foods were the mainstays of her diet.
When she came of age, she worked at a gambling casino on the reservation, where native people regularly came and routinely lost their money. She felt great guilt and anguish about putting herself through university on money earned from work at a casino, which she felt exploited her own people.

Another case is a young talented black woman whose mother worked two and three jobs as a single parent when the child was young. Later her mother moved into a fast moving professional track and the daughter spent her afternoons alone, eating. She weighed some thirty to forty pounds more than her White classmates in the predominantly white school she attended. Her white friends, who were struggling with similar family issues, starved themselves; this young woman, who had a history of family obesity and family diabetes, did the opposite, she overate.

Cases of anorexia among women of color are not unheard of, however. A 1984 paper published in the British Journal of Psychiatry documents anorexia nervosa in a black Zimbabwean girl. This article is notable for highlighting the saliency of psychosocial issues. "Firstly she was educated in white boarding schools whee she was exposed to the desirability of slimness as a social norm; no such value pertains in Shona society where a fat wife is traditionally regarded as an important manifestation of her husband's affluence." Foregrounding the issue of social class, the authors noted that "Middle class African families commonly set great store on academic achievement, and over driven children are by no means rare."

By: Patricia Romney Ph.D

Culture and Eating Disorders

2009-08-17T14:21:00.002-04:00

Many cases in my practice illustrate the relationship between culture and eating disorders. One Ethiopian girl fleeing from civil war in her country had been sent to a preparatory school in the U.S. Gradually, she found herself unable to eat. She spent her days sipping water. She denied that the famine and drought in Ethiopia and the sight of the emaciated bodies, which were daily being shown on television, had anything to do with her eating disorder. A young woman from Cambodia had spent her early years in a refugee camp there. After years of trauma induced by war and relocation and after spending several years in the United States she too became unable to eat. An affluent African American girl whose mother was president of a prestigious university became anorexic in high school after years of feeling secondary to her parents' professional work. She was overcome with anxiety about her future. She felt the implicit mandate was for her to achieve at a very high level, but she felt unable to do so. What could she do, she wondered, to surpass her parents? Restrictive eating became her "achievement." For many Latin women, especially middle and upper class women, anorexia nervosa can be related to traditional cultural norms of femininity and expectations of beautification. For each of these clients, cultural factors were an important place in the multi-dimensional problem of an eating disorder.

By: Patricia Romney Ph.D

Working with Cultural Differences in Therapy

2009-08-17T14:19:00.001-04:00

As the above cases illustrate, anorexia and bulimia are also problems among many young women of color. Eating disorders of all types exist among people of color. Therapists must attend to the full spectrum. This means noticing obesity as well as anorexia and asking questions about feelings and attitudes about weight. It is helpful to formulate questions that reveal information about cultural norms around food and weight. Therapists can ask, "Is weight a concern for you?" "What are the weight norms in your community/ethnic group?" "In what ways are your concerns about weight or body image (or lack of concern) similar to and different from white women, or from the the dominant groups in society?"

If the therapist is white, these questions may need to be rephrased and repeated as the therapeutic alliance develops. It can be difficult to discuss the concerns with women of another racial or ethnic group, particularly when the norms around food and weight are so different.

I have yet to meet any woman of color who did not have some concern about food intake and body image. Yet there are some differences between the weight concerns of white women and women of color. Healing for black women and other women of color must be culturally and emotionally in harmony with one's environment. To facilitate healing, therapists should explore the role of culture. In addition, therapists must be cognisant of the vast international variety among racial groups. The culture of people of West Indian heritage, for example, differs from African American culture.

This awareness is also extremely important in working with vastly different cultures that comprise the so-called Asian peoples. The impact of racism and class oppression must be uncovered as well. A full understanding of the personal and cultural meanings of weight and food will facilitate the process of healing among women of color suffering from eating disorders.

By: Patricia Romney Ph.D

Black Women and Body Image: African American Females Talk Eating Disorders and Related Issues

2009-08-17T14:17:00.003-04:00

African-American women are usually left out of the debate about body image and eating disorders because they are reputed to not have those worries. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating allegedly don't exit for black women. Of course this is untrue.

Black women are usually left out of the debate about body image and eating disorders because they are reputed to not have those worries.

African-American women are "supposed" to be self-confident and appreciate their curves; they are to be honored for their thick legs and ample butts. But is that really the case?

Anyana Byrd and Akiba Solomon have put together a provocative and poignant collection essays from Black women who have something to say about stereotypes and how their bodies have affected their lives.

Each story is completely unique and told by voices both resilient and intelligent. The Editor's themselves include their own stories and share in the frustration, power, wittiness and insight of these remarkable women.

By: eatingdisorders.suite101.com

"A True Picture of Eating Disorders Among African American Women" A Review of Literature

2009-08-16T18:58:00.004-04:00

Written by Indira D. Tyler

Dec 03, 2008

Abstract: A review of published studies reveals a serious deficit in scope of eating disorders among African American women. While the "Prevalence of Eating Disorders Among African American Women" (Mulholland & Mintz, 2001), and "A Comparison of Black and White Women With Binge Eating Disorder" (Pike, Dohm, Stiegel-Moore, Wilfley, & Fairburn, 2001) offer substantial findings in an area of under representation, the findings of these studies leave many vacancies in the true picture of eating disorders among African American women. Sufficient examination of the relationship of familial roles, cultural influences, and unique stressors to African American women are not prevalent in the available studies and are not evaluated as substantial influences on maladaptive eating regulation responses.

The exclusion of women from prominent research studies, such as research on heart disease, cancer, and aging, has been well documented. This exclusion has resulted in the development of research and clinical studies, which specifically concentrate on women. When examining studies conducted on eating disorders, there is a major focus on infants, children, and adult women, Caucasian women.There is a deficit of research studies, which evaluate the prevalence of eating disorders among African-American women. Upon evaluation of the literature, there is reason to question if a true picture of eating disorders among African-American women has been identified.

Principles and Practice of Psychiatric Nursing (Stuart & Laraia, 2001) defines eating disorders as the use of food "... to satisfy unmet emotional needs, to moderate stress, and to provide rewards or punishments". Further, "the inability to regulate eating habits and the frequent tendency to overuse or under use food interferes with biological, psychological, and sociocultural integrity" (Stuart & Laraia, 2001, p. 526-527). Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are illnesses associated with maladaptive eating regulation responses and are most commonly seen in women. Decisive factors for anorexia nervosa established by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) include extreme weight loss, fear of fat, and loss of menstruation. Bulimia nervosa is defined by self-esteem that is unduly influenced by weight and shape and both binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e.g., self-induced vomiting) at specified frequencies. Binge eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) is appropriate for "disorders of eating that do not meet the criteria for any specific Eating Disorder" (American Psychiatric Association, 1994, p. 550). DSM-IV (1994) lists six examples of EDNOS, including meeting all the criteria for anorexia except loss of menstruation, meeting all the criteria for bulimia except frequency, use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors after eating small amounts of food, and binge eating in the absence of inappropriate compensatory behaviors (binge-eating disorder). Eating disorders in the United States is experienced about the same among Hispanics and whites, is more common among Native Americans, and is less common among blacks and Asians (Stuart & Laraia, 2001). Because many women do not meet diagnostic criteria, yet are symptomatic by occasionally engage in behaviors characteristic of eating disorders, including self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives, and binge eating, it is important to evaluate women who are symptomatic of eating disorders.

In "Prevalence of Eating Disorders Among African American Women" (Mulholland & Mintz, 2001), a significant study was conducted at a large public university in the Midwestern United States that identified two percent (2%) of African American women participants as eating disordered. In contrast, "A Comparison of Black and White Women With Binge Eating Disorder" (Pike, Dohm, Stiegel-Moore, Wilfley, & Fairburn, 2001) evaluates differences in Caucasian and African American women with an eating disorder; the research showed that the women differ in all aspects of binge eating disorder. Further inspection of these clinical studies is necessary to evaluate whether eating disorders in African American women exists, and whether significant support is available to identify prevalence of eating disorders among this subgroup.

Even though very few studies have been conducted on African American women and eating disorders, there is a significant push to cover the prevalence of eating disorders among minority women. Amy M. Mulholland, and Laurie B. Mintz (2001) conducted a survey to examine the effect of maladaptive eating regulation responses among African American women. Their study's purpose was "... to examine prevalence rates of anorexia, bulimia, and especially EDNOS" as well as ..." prevalence rates for women considered symptomatic (i.e., those that had some symptoms but no actual disorders)" (Mulholland & Mintz, 2001). The sample of the survey was obtained from African American females attending a predominantly Caucasian university in the Midwestern United States. The results of the survey was reported in "Prevalence of Eating Disorders Among African American Women" (Mulholland & Mintz, 2001) and identified that two percent (2%) of the 413 viable participants were classified as eating disordered with all of the eating disordered women having one of the four types of EDNOS. Twenty-three percent (23%) of non-eating disordered participants were symptomatic and seventy-five percent (75%) were asymptomatic. The findings are reflective of a group of African American women who are a minority in their environment.

According to The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (2002), which collects statistics bearing on the relative status of blacks and whites, the number of African Americans enrolled in college was 1,640,700 in 1999. Currently, African Americans represent only eleven percent (11%) of all undergraduates (U.S. Department of Education). Therefore, a true representation of the sample of African American women in the Mulholland & Mintz study is minimal to the broader population of African American women in the United States. The study does recognize "... findings of less eating-disorder symptoms among African American women at predominantly Black versus predominantly Caucasian universities" (Gray et al., 1987; Williams, 1994), but without acknowledging the probable effects of acculturation of those women surveyed. If the African American women surveyed sought to assume the values, attributes, and behavior of their Caucasian peers in order to become an accepted members of the culture, in this case the University, then how can a true prevalence of the eating disorders among the African American subgroup be identified? The small percentage of African American women identified as being eating disordered (2%) and those non-eating disordered participants identified as symptomatic (23%) may have been influenced by the activities of their Caucasian peers who are eating disordered.

The study excludes external influences that African Americans face; it does not address the day-to-day discrimination African American women face in American society. Further study is needed to examine how stressors such as racism, classism, and sexism influence maladaptive eating regulation responses among African American women and other minorities. As the study implies, there is vast emerging literature on the unique factors associated with eating disorders among African Americans women, which needs to be shared with young women.

As "A Comparison of Black and White Women With Binge Eating Disorder" (Pike et al., 2001) has identified when surveying women diagnosed with binge eating disorder, African American women reported less concern with body shape, weight, and eating than their Caucasian counterparts. This study identified that African American culture impacts attitudinal concern of body image among African American women; African American society is more accepting of larger body shapes and less concerned with dietary restraint. The women recruited for the study were limited; "exclusion criteria were age over 40 and under 18 years, physical conditions know to influence eating habits or weight, current pregnancy, presence of psychotic disorder, not being white or black, or not being born in the United States" (Pike et al., 2001). The study identified that the African American women surveyed experienced higher weight and more frequent binge eating; however, sources of the stressors which stimulate binge eating was not identified. An evaluation of degree of acculturation and other stressors such as racism, classism, and sexism on African American women and their eating disorder was identified by the study as an area of further investigation though not evaluated in the comparison.

Women have been consistently excluded from research studies, and the impact of this phenomenon on African American women is substantial. African American culture is steeped in family and has a strong matriarch thread. African American women are demonstrative and favor conveying love through food. Meals and times of breaking bread are avenues of socialization in African American families and communities.

As African Americans enter mainstream American via work and school, the acculturation phenomenon invades the most sacred of African American culture--food. The prevalence of eating disorders among African American women has not reached epidemic proportions; however, the potential is there. African American women face stressors tri-fold; racism, classism, and sexism have long been recognized as stressors unique to African American women compared to their Caucasian counterparts. The research must then follow to examine how African American women respond, and if maladaptive eating regulation responses are identified then counseling programs need to be available to African American women--the barriers to healthcare must be superceded to empower African American women to nourish future generations of physically sound men and women.

reviewed by: Harry Croft, MD
Psychiatrist, HealthyPlace.com Medical Director

Conjured Perceptions: Black Women and Eating Disorders

2009-08-14T13:56:00.001-04:00

"Over the years, researchers have seen a rise in the number of Black women suffering from eating disorders. In one survey study of 6,504 adolescent participants (Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites), the results showed that all the youth reported losing weight at similar rates (32.7%, 31.9%, 36.1%, and 34.9% respectively). Finding exact statistics on the prevalence of eating disorders on Black women are unavailable, due to the existence of the underlying notion that eating disorders are a White woman's disease and/or Black women not wanting to be honest about their eating. Contrary to this, there is evidence that eating disorders among Black women are on the rise. One of the hypotheses for this belief is due to ideals of body images. Similarly to Whites. Black women suffering from eating disorders can be influenced by socioeconomic status, environment, and genetic factors.

Truth be told, I suffered from an eating disorder in high school. It started out with me trying to be healthy, but that soon dwindled. I became involved in gymnastics, cheerleading, and track, and those sports helped me transition into having an eating disorder. I tried to hide it while going to the Black public school, as the study suggested. I figured it was a White girl disease, and I didn't want anyone to know. During lunch I would just say, "I'm not hungry," and hang out in the cafeteria with my friends...drinking juices to keep sugar in my body, and eating peanut butter crackers whenever I felt faint. When I transferred to the White, private school, I soon found out I wasn't the only one with an eating disorder. We all knew about each others eating habits...even the Black girls knew, for we were all doing it together and tracking our weight, happily. We would go on water and juice diets for weeks sometimes, in conjunction to running the cross country trail everyday and spending hours in the gym during the week. That went on for the duration of my high school career. In college, the eating disorder started to become non existent to me due, but early on (freshman year), I found out so many of my peers were suffering from eating disorders (at Spellman...an all Black, female institution of higher learning). This was very surprising to me because I would have never thought that so many Black women were involved in this.

Eating disorders, like suicide and etc., are another quietly kept secret of things we suffer from. Don't be so quick to assume just because someone is of a certain race that they are oblivious to such ailments. Also, don't think just because someone isn't stick thin that they couldn't be suffering from an eating disorder. Women suffering from this look different, yet are suffering from the same thing."

http://conjurethis.blogspot.com

Some Definitions You Should Know Before Continuing....

2009-08-14T13:54:00.000-04:00

Definitions

BED - Binge Eating Disorder
DSM-IV - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition
Eating Disorder NOS - Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
Nervosa - "There is technically no exact term or definition to "nervosa" in the English language. For the context is commonly used in, nervosa generally the nervous system, mind/thoughts/mental capacity or reasoning, or influences the body through the mind. Thus, anorexia and bulimia have "nervosa" at the end of their official names because they are an eating disorder thus is commonly sourced from the mind."
Symptomatology -(uncountable) The science that studies the symptoms of disease (countable) All the symptoms of a particular disease

Cultural Roles

2009-08-14T13:53:00.002-04:00

It used to be thought that Eating Disorders were only found in college-aged white women. It is finally coming to light that this statement is just not true.

By: www.something-fishy.org

Shades of Grey

2009-08-14T13:53:00.001-04:00

It was once a widely held belief that the only people who suffered from Eating Disorders were white, middle to upper class, American women. I can tell you, from the hundreds to thousands of e-mail letters I have received from the sufferers themselves, by far, white women are not the only ones suffering.

A great number of researchers are focusing in on why there seems to be an increase in the growing number of Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American sufferers who are coming forward to say that they indeed are afflicted with an Eating Disorder.

"Dangerous Eating" (Essence Magazine, Villarosa) featured an article on the subject of Eating Disorders in Black women, providing a possible insight. "The Black-American culture traditionally accepts more fat on women than the White culture, but when Black middle-class women become integrated into White culture while they are trying to get ahead, they become more at risk of developing Eating Disorders."

As African-American and Hispanic women compete more and more in the professional job market and face the pressures of trying to succeed, they can be faced with discrimination as well as society's portrayal of the successful "smart, beautiful and thin" career woman.

There has been a steady increase in famous African-American and Hispanic figures in the media. While this is a wonderful thing that helps to represent the truly diverse country the United States is, there may also be a "down-side" as well. Young white women and girls faced with thin and beautiful white celebrities aspire to be like them--it would make sense to think that young Black and Hispanic women and girls, when faced with seemingly beautiful and thin celebrities sharing the same culture (such as Janet Jackson or Mariah Carey), might also wish to achieve the same physical goals.

The psychological reasons that women of color develop Eating Disorders are virtually the same. Family problems, parents with negative coping mechanisms like alcohol, history of abuse, and/or relationship issues, plus a need to cope with stress, pain and anger, and a low self-esteem. In addition, Black, Asian, Hispanic and Native American women also face issues of discrimination that may contribute to their low self-worth and desire to be loved and accepted.

From the About Face Organization's Website: "The more a person is pressured to emulate the mainstream image, the more the desire to be thin is adopted, and with it an increased risk for the development of body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders."

It is important to take into consideration the awareness that has spread in the last fifteen or so years about Eating Disorders themselves. Whereas issues of culture may not be addressed often enough, there may still be a better overall knowledge of what these disorders are, throughout a more diverse community. Whether teens and college students are getting the education at their school, through clinics and women's centers, through the television or on the internet, all groups of people may be more apt to recognize that they are suffering from an illness and are not alone. Prior to 1980, it was highly unlikely that any information, let-alone accurate information, was reaching anyone other than through doctor's offices typically treating the white, middle-to-upper class community. It is highly possible that up until recently, due to lack of awareness and the stereotype that this was a "white teen or college woman's disease", many women of color were either suffering in silence or didn't recognize how severe their problem could be.

By: www.something-fishy.org

It's A Small World

2009-08-14T13:52:00.001-04:00

Eating Disorders are one of the most common psychological problems facing young women in Tokyo, Japan. According to a Japan Certified Clinical Psychologist, many who came for counseling often gave their reason for doing so as experiencing problems in having healthy interpersonal relationships such as with family or in social environments such as a college or within the workplace. There is still a great shame attached to seeking counseling in in Japan, and for this many people do not get the help they need or deserve. It also makes it nearly impossible to determine exactly how many victims of Eating Disorders are in Japan.

In Argentina the incidence rate of Anorexia and Bulimia is out of control. The percentage of sufferers (based on population) is almost three times greater than that of the United States. Women across Argentina will resort, at all costs, to look their best and are obsessed with their bodies. According to an article written by Lori Leibovich, "Some blamed the nation's preoccupation with the body on the country's volatile political and economic climate. Others said that the Italian immigrants who settled in Argentina at the turn of the century simply brought with them a flair for fashion and an appreciation of beauty. And some Argentine feminists say that 'machismo' is responsible for the epidemic, encouraging a climate where women are valued for how they look, not who they are." Women that don't fit the harsh Argentine ideal end up in their own world of self-hate.

Eating Disorders are on the rise in China ans experts feel this may have to do with the rise of diet fads throughout that region. Advertising of diet products that flood the market emphasize to the public that life is better when a person is slim, so sufferers faced with problems in their life may turn to dieting as an answer. Not to say that all people who diet will end up struggling with an Eating Disorder, but persons with a low self-esteem who may have been susceptible to workaholism, alcoholism or drug addiction, will now also be more at risk for developing an Eating Disorder.

By: www.something-fishy.org

No Discrimination

2009-08-14T13:51:00.001-04:00

Either way, no matter what color, race, cultural background or sexual orientation a sufferer comes from, the Eating Disorders that affect them are devastating. Each person, male or female, is suffering inside from the emotion turmiil that led them to seek comfort from Anorexia, Bulimia or Compulsive Overeating...And like I have said hundreds of time, each of them deserves to find help and recovery so that they may learn to love themselves, inside and out.

By: www.something-fishy.org

The Diagnosis of Eating Disorders and Women of Color

2009-08-14T13:49:00.000-04:00

The Myth

A common myth about eating disorders is that eating disorders only effect white, middle-to-upper class females in their teen or college years. Until the 1980's, little information was available about eating disorders and the information that was distributed was often only to the health professionals serving primarily upper class, white, heterosexual families. And the research made available to these professions supported the myth of eating disorders as a "white girl's disease." It wasn't until 1983 and the death of Karen Carpenter that any information let only accurate information about eating disorders began reaching the public. Yet again, Carpenter's race supported the myth of a "white girl's disease." Where her death brought recognition of the disease to the public and allowed many women to name what their suffering was about, it did so only for white girls and women (Medina, 1999;Dittrich, 1999).

It is highly possible that up until recently many women of color wee suffering from eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors in silence and/or without knowing the severity of their disease or even that it was a disease. In a recent phone call with a Latina friend that is suffering from anorexia she said, "After Karen died and all the media coverage, I went to the doctor to tell him that I also had anorexia. I was severely underweight and my skin had a yellow undertone. After examining me he told me, "you don't have anorexia, only white women can get that disease." It was 10 years until I went to another doctor" (personal communication, February 1000). The idea of eating disorders as a "white girls disease" still influences many health care workers.

Unfortunately, eating disorders do not discriminate. Individuals of any race, class, sex, age, ability, sexual orientation, etc. can suffer from an eating disorder. What can and does differ is the individual's experience of the eating disorder, how health professionals treat them, and finally, what is involved in treating a woman of color with an eating disorder. Research that is inclusive of the women of color eating disorder experience is still quite lacking in comparison to eating disorder research that is conducted from the white ethnocentric viewpoint.

Some current researchers are calling for a re-evaluation of the eating disorder diagnostic criteria for the DSM-V based on their belief that the criteria as defined in the DSM-IV (1994) is "white" bias. Root (1990) identifies stereotypes, racism, and ethnocentrism as reasons underlying this lack of attention of women of color with eating disorders. Further, Root (1990) suggests that mental health professionals have accepted the notion of certain blanket factors in minority cultures. An appreciation for larger body sizes, less emphasis on physical attractiveness and a stable familial and social structure have all been named as rationalizations that support the stereotype of a "white girls disease" and suggest an invulnerability to the development of eating disorders in women of color from the development of eating disorders "fails to take into account the reality of within-group individual differences and the complexities associated with developing a self-image within an oppressive and racist society"

A Common Trait in the Development of Eating Disorders

The one thing that appears to be a required factor for the development of an eating disorder is low self-esteem. It also appears that a history of low self-esteem needs to have been present during the individual's formative and developmental years. That is to say, that a woman who develops an eating disorder at the age of 35 years old, most likely dealt with low self-esteem issues at some time prior to the age of 18 years old whether or not this issue was resolved prior to the development of an eating disorder. This trait runs cross culture. Individuals with eating disorders also seem to be more apt to personalize and internalize negative components of their environment. In a sense, low self-esteem combined with a high propensity towards personalization and internalization primes the individual for the future development of an eating disorder. Cultural influences self-esteem and aids in the maintenance of an eating disorder yet does not solely account for the development of an eating disorder.

Eating Disorders and Women of Color

The relationship between ethnocultural identity and eating disorders is complex and research in this area is just beginning. In the initial research in this area, it was believed that a strong perceived need for identification with the dominant culture correlated positively to the development of eating disorders in women of color. To put another way, the greater the acculturation the greater risk of the development of an eating disorder. Aside from the remaining ethnocentric quality in this theory, current research has found no correlation between general identification with dominant white culture and the development of eating disorders in women of color. Nor has it been found that a strong identification with one's own culture protects against the development of eating disorders. Though it has been found that when a more specific and limited measure of societal identification is used, that of the internalization of the dominant cultures values of attractiveness and beauty, there is a positive correlation in the development of eating disorders with some groups of women of color.

African American Women & Eating Disorders

Although research is lacking in the study of separate groups of women of color, Lester & Petrie (1998) conducted a research study involving bulimic syptomatology among African American college females. Their results indicated that when "dissatisfaction with body size and shape was higher, the self-esteem lower, and when the body mass was greater, the number of reported bulimic symptoms was also greater" (p.7). Variables that were found to not be significant indicators to bulimic symptoms in African American college women were depression,internalization of societal values of attractiveness, or the level of identification with White culture (Lester & Petrie , 1998). Whether or not this information could be generalized to African American women outside of college is at this time unknown.

Mexican American Women and Eating Disorder

Again, it is Lester & Petrie (1995) that conducted a specific study concerning this group of women of color. Again, this study was conducted with the focus on Mexican American females in a college setting and the information gathered may or may not be salient to Mexican American women outside of the college setting. Lester &Petrie's (1995) research revealed that unlike African American women in college, the adoption and internalization of White societal values concerning attractiveness were related positively to bulimic symptomatology in Mexican American college women. Similar to African American women, body mass was also positively correlated. Body satisfaction as well as age was found to be unrelated to bulimic symptomatology in this cultural group (Lester & Petrie, 1995).

Implications for the Counselor

One basic implication for counselors would be to simply be aware of the fact that women of color can and do experience eating disorders. A question a counselor might need to keep in mind would be: Do I think of the possibility of eating disorders in a woman of color who comes into my office with the same quickness that I might if the individual had been a white girl? Root (1990) notes that many mental health professional have unconsciously bought into the notion of eating disorders as a "white girls disease" and diagnosing a woman of color with an eating disorder simply doesn't cross their minds. Considering the death rate of eating disordered individuals this mistake can be extremely costly.

Another suggestion made by Harris & Kuba (1997) was to note that the identity formation of women of color in the U.S. is a complex process and the counselor needs to have a working understanding of the developmental stages of this formation. Each developmental stage can take on quite different implications when combined with an eating disorder.

Lastly, due to the white bias within the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-IV (1994) clinicians need to be willing to use the category of "Eating Disorder NOS" as to justify insurance coverage for clients with atypical symptoms.

By: Jennifer Daniels

Anorexia

2009-08-14T13:47:00.001-04:00

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 exercise, 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 people of higher socioeconomic classes and people involved in activities where thinness is especially looked upon, such as dancing, theater, and distance running.

By: MamasHealth.com

Symptoms of Anorexia

2009-08-14T13:46:00.001-04:00

There are many symptoms for anorexia, some individuals may not experience all of the symptoms. The symptoms include: Body weight that isinconsistent with age, build and height (usually 15% below normal weight).

Some other symptoms of anorexia are:

Loss of at least 3 consecutive menstrual periods (in women)
Not wanting or refusing to eat in public
Anxiety
Weakness
Brittle skin
Shortness of breath
Obsessiveness about calorie intake

By: MamasHealth.com

Anorexia and Pregnancy

2009-08-14T13:45:00.001-04:00

In order to have a healthy child, the average child, the average pregnant woman would 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 menstrual 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 prenatal vitamins and have regular prenatal visits. You should not exercise unless your doctor 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.

By: MamasHealth.com

Good News about Anorexia

2009-08-14T13:44:00.001-04:00

Anorexia can be overcome.
With proper care, you can overcome your eating disorder and have a healthy child.

By: MamasHealth.com

Anorexia Statistics

2009-08-14T13:42:00.000-04:00

One percent of teenage girls in the U.S. develop anorexia nervosa and up to 10% of those may die as a result.

By: MamasHealth.com

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

2009-08-14T13:41:00.001-04:00

Binge eating disorder is a newly recognized condition that probably affects millions of Americans. People with binge eating disorder frequently eat large amounts of food while feeling a loss of control over their eating. This disorder is different from binge-purge syndrome (bulimianervosa) because people with binge eating disorder usually do not purge afterward by vomiting or using laxatives.

By: www.athealth.com

How Does Someone Know if He or She has Binge Eating Disorder?

2009-08-14T13:40:00.001-04:00

Most of us overeat from time to time, and many people feel they frequently eat more than they should. Eating large amounts of food, however, does not mean that a person has binge eating disorder. Doctors are still debating the best ways to determine if someone has binge eating disorder. But most people with serious binge eating problems have:

Frequent episodes of eating what others would consider an abnormally large amount of food.
Frequent feelings of being unable to control what or how much is being eaten.
Several of these behaviors or feelings:

Eating much more rapidly than usual.
Eating until uncomfortably full.
Eating large amounts of food, even when not physically hungry.
Eating alone out of embarrassment at the quantity of food being eaten.
Feelings of disgust, depression, or guilt after overeating.

Episodes of binge eating also occur in the eating disorder bulimia nervosa. Persons with bulimia, however, regularly purge, fast, or engage in strenuous exercise after an episode of binge eating. Purging means vomiting or using diuretics (water pills) or laxatives in greater-than-recommended doses to avoid gaining weight. Fasting is not eating for at least 24 hours. Strenuous exercise, in this case, is defined as exercising for more than an hour solely to avoid gaining weight after binge eating. Purging, fasting, and strenuous exercise are dangerous ways to attempt weight control.

By: www.athealth.com

How Common is Binge Eating Disorder, and Who is at Risk?

2009-08-14T13:39:00.002-04:00

Although it has only recently been recognized as a distinct condition, binge eating disorder is probably the most common eating disorder. Most people with binge eating disorder are obese (more than 20 percent above a healthy body weight), but normal-weight people also can be affected. Binge eating disorder probably affects 2 percent of all adults, or about 1 million to 2 million Americans. Among mildly obese people in self-help or commercial weight loss programs, 10 to 15 percent have binge eating disorder. The disorder is even more common in those with severe obesity.

Binge eating disorder is slightly more common in women, with three women affected for every two men. The disorder affects blacks as often as whites; its frequency in other ethnic groups is not yet known. Obese people with binge eating disorder often became overweight at a younger age than those without the disorder. They also may have more frequent episodes of losing and regaining weight (yo-yo dieting).

By: www.athealth.com

What Causes Binge Eating Disorder?

2009-08-14T13:37:00.001-04:00

The causes of binge eating disorder are still unknown. Up to half of all people with binge eating disorder have a history of depression. Whether depression is a cause or effect of binge eating disorder is unclear. It may be unrelated. Many people report that anger, sadness, boredom, anxiety or other negative emotions can trigger a binge episode. Impulsive behavior and certain other psychological problems may be more common in people with binge eating disorder.

Dieting's effect on binge eating disorder is also unclear. While findings vary, early research suggests that about half of all people with binge eating disorder had binge episodes before they started to diet. Still, strict dieting may worsen binge eating in some people.

Researchers also are looking into how brain chemicals and metabolism (the way the body burns calories) affect binge eating disorder. These areas of research are still in the early stages.

By: www.athealth.com

What are the Complications of Binge Eating Disorder?

2009-08-14T13:36:00.001-04:00

The major complications of binge eating disorder are the diseases that accompany obesity. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, gallbladder disease, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.

People with binge eating disorder are extremely depressed by their binge eating. Most have tried to control it on their own but have not succeeded for very long. Some people miss work, school, or social activities to binge eat. Obese people with binge eating disorder often feel bad about themselves, are preoccupied with their appearance, and may avoid social gatherings. Most feel ashamed and try to hide their problem. Often they are so successful that close family members and friends don't know they binge eat.

By: www.athealth.com

Should People with Binge Eating Disorder Try to Diet?

2009-08-14T13:34:00.000-04:00

People who are not overweight or only mildly obese should probably avoid dieting, since strict dieting may worsen binge eating. However, many people with binge eating disorder are severely obese and have medial problems related to their weight. For these people, losing wight and keeping it off are important treatment goals. Most people with binge eating disorder, whether or not they want to lose weight, may benefit from treatment that addresses their eating behavior.

By: www.athealth.com

What Treatments are Available for People with Binge Eating Disorder?

2009-08-14T13:32:00.002-04:00

Several studies have found that people with binge eating disorder may find it harder than other people to stay in weight loss treatment. Binge eaters also may be more likely to regain weight quickly. For these reasons, people with the disorder may require treatment that focuses on their binge eating before they try to lose weight. Even those who are not overweight are frequently distressed by their binge eating and may benefit from treatment.

Several methods are being used to treat binge eating disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches patients techniques to monitor and change their eating habits as well as to change the way they respond to difficult situations. Interpersonal psychotherapy helps people examine their relationships with friends and family and to make changes in problem areas. Treatment with medications such as antidepressants may be helpful for some individuals. Self-help groups also may be a source of support. Researchers are still trying to determine which method or combination of methods is the most effective in controlling binge eating disorder. The type of treatment that is best for an individual is a matter for discussion between the patient and his or her health care provider.

If you believe you have binge eating disorder, it's important you realize that you are not alone. Most people who have the disorder have tried unsuccessfully to control it on their own. You may want to seek professional treatment.

By: www.athealth.com

Difference between Anorexia and Bulimia

2009-08-14T13:30:00.001-04:00

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.

By: MamasHealth.com

Bulimia Nervosa

2009-08-14T13:29:00.002-04:00

Bulimia nervosa or bulimia is a type of eating disorder. A person with bulimia eats a lot of food in a short amount of time. This is called bingeing. The person may fear gaining weight after a binge. Bingeing also can cause feelings of shame & guilt. So, the person tries to "undo" the binge by getting rid of the food. This is called purging. Purging might be done by:

making yourself throw up
taking laxatives---pills or liquids that speed up the movement of food through the body & lead to a bowel movement
exercising a lot
eating very little or not at all
taking water pills to urinate

By: Angie Best-Boss

Bulimia Causes

2009-08-14T13:29:00.001-04:00

Bulimia causes are varied & researchers cannot pinpoint one villain. People may be born with an inherited predisposition towards developing bulimia, particularly where addictin is in the genes. Environmental factors can contribute to triggering the onset of bulimia. Thes include peer pressures, family attitudes, the influence of the media creating a need for thinness, poor self-esteem & a lack of acceptance of self & body shape.

Persons with bulimia have low self esteem, neagative self thoughts, extreme concern with body weight & shape, depressed feelings, & a sense of shame. They may be coping with identity questions, concerns about relationships, family problems, or past sexual abuse. They feel out of control & pursue thiness as a way to feel better. However, the consequent dieting & deprivation sets the stage for a binge, followed by a purge. The cycle repeatss as the underlying problems have not been addressed.

By Angie Best-Boss

Bulimia Effects

2009-08-14T13:27:00.001-04:00

Bulimia nervosa may seem to be less damaging because it's much easier to hide than anorexia. While a person with anorexia nervosa will look emaciated, it can take months of severe Bulimia to see the bulimia effects. About 10% of individuals suffering from bulimia will die from either starvation, heart attack, other medical effects, or suicide.

Some of the most common complications of bulimia are:

Tooth enamel erosion because of repeated exposure to acidic gastric contents.
Dental cavities, sensitivity to hot or cold food.
Swelling & soreness in the salivary glands (from repeated vomiting).
Stomach Ulcers.
Ruptures of the stomach & esophagus.
Abnormal build-up of fluid in the intestines.
Disruption in the normal bowel realease function.
Electrolyte imbalance.
Dehydration
Irregular heartbeat & in severe cases, heart attack.
A greater risk for suicidal behavior.

By Angie Best-Boss

Bulimia Symptoms

2009-08-14T13:26:00.000-04:00

Bulimia is binge-eating followed by self-induced vomitting or the use of laxatives.

Physiological

person may be under-, over-, or normal weight
swollen glands, puffiness in the cheeks, or broken vessels under the eyes
sore throat
fatigue & muscle ache
unexplained tooth decay
frequent weight fluctuations
electrolyte imbalance which can lead to irregular hearbeat, & in some cases, heart attack

Bulimia is a binge-eating followed by self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives.
Behavioral
- secretive eating (missing food)
- avoidance of restaurants, planned meals or social events if food is present
- self-disgust when too much has been eaten
- bathroom visits after meals
- the use of diet pills
- rigid & harsh exercise regimes
- fear of being fat, regardless of weight
- bingeing that may alternate with fasting
- preoccupation/constant talk about food or weight
- vomiting & laxative use
- shoplifting (sometimes food or laxatives)
Bulimia is binge-eating followed by self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives.
Attitude Shifts
- mood shifts including depression, sadness, guilt, & self-hate
- severe self-criticism
- the need for approval
- self-worth determined by weight
- feeling out of control
Bulimia can be hidden from others, since bulimics appear to be within a normal weight range. The binge/purge episodes may be a few times a week or several times a day. Physical complications include dental problems, swelling of the parotid glands, digestive problems, & electrolyte imbalance.

By Angie Best-Boss

What are Electrolytes?

2009-08-14T13:22:00.001-04:00

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There are many chemicals in your blood stream that regulate important functions of our bodies. These chemicals are called electrolytes. When dissolved in water, electrolytes separate into positively and negatively charged ions. Your body's nerve reactions and muscle function are dependent upon the proper exchange of these electrolyte ions outside and inside cells.

Examples of electrolytes are calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Electrolyte Imbalance can cause a variety of symptoms.

Normal Adult Values
Calcium: 4.5-5.5 mEq/L
Chloride: 97-107 mEq/L
Potassium: 3.5-5.3 mEq/L
Magnesium: 1.5-2.5 mEq/L
Sodium: 136-145 mEq/L

* Note: Normal values may vary from laboratory to laboratory.

Interpreting Blood Test Results - Electrolyte Imbalance:

What is an electrolyte imbalance?

There are many causes for an electrolyte imbalance. Causes for an electrolyte imbalance may include:

Loss of body fluids from prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, sweating or high fever
Inadequate diet and lack of vitamins from food
Malabsorption - your body may be unable to absorb these electrolytes due to a variety of stomach disorders, medications, or may be how food is taken in
Hormonal or endocrine disorders
Kidney disease
A complication of chemotherapy is tumor lysis syndrome. This occurs when your body breaks down tumor cells rapidly after chemotherapy, causing a low blood calcium level, high blood potassium levels, and other electrolyte abnormalities.

Certain medications may cause an electrolyte imbalance such as:

Chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin)
Diuretics (furosemide[Lasix] or bumetanide[Bumex])
Antibiotics (amphotericin B)
Corticosteroids (hydrocortisone)

What are some symptoms of electrolyte imbalance to look for?

As described, an electrolyte imbalance may create a number of symptoms. The symptoms of electrolyte imbalance are based on which of the electrolyte levels are affected.
If your blood test results indicate an altered potassium, magnesium, sodium, or calcium levels, you may experience muscle spasm, weakness, twitching, or convulsions.
Blood test results showing low levels may lead to: irregular heartbeat, confusion, blood pressure changes, nervous system or bone disorders.
Blood test results showing high levels may lead to: weakness or twitching of the muscles, numbness, fatigue, irregular heartbeat and blood pressure changes.

How is an electrolyte imbalance diagnosed?

An electrolyte imbalance is usually diagnosed based upon information obtained through:

Your history of symptoms.
A physical examination by your healthcare provider.
Urine and blood test results.
If there are other abnormalities based on these findings, your healthcare provider may suggest further testing, such as an EKG. (Severely high or low potassium, magnesium and/or sodium levels can affect your heart rhythm.)
If you have an electrolyte imbalance due to kidney problems, your healthcare provider may want to do an ultrasound or x-ray of your kidneys.

Treatment of an electrolyte imbalance:

Identifying and treating the underlying problem causing the electrolyte imbalance.
Intravenous fluids, electrolyte replacement.
A Minor electrolyte imbalance may be corrected by diet changes. For example; eating a diet rich in potassium if you have low potassium levels, or restricting your water intake if you have a low blood sodium level.

http://www.chemocare.com/managing/electrolyte_imbalance.asp

"I Am A Calorie Prisoner"

2009-08-14T13:15:00.002-04:00

health, diet, eating-disorders, calorie-counting, disordered-eating
geminisunset

I am seeding an article that I read over the weekend in the latest edition of Self Magazine. The article talked about eating disorders and disordered eating. I have never heard of disordered eating, but found myself identifying with one of the six categories defined in the article: Calorie Prisoners. Per the article, "Calorie prisoners are terrified of gaining weight, tend to see food as good or bad and feel extremely guilty if they indulge in something that's off-limits."

For the first 25 years of my life, I did not have to even think about what I was eating. I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound. Then, last May, I turned 26. My body started to shift. By the end of the year, I was staring to notice some "giggly" spots that were never there before. This scared me. Two generations before me have struggled with weight issues. My mother continues to struggle. And her mother, my Nana, never won the battle - she died of a diabetic coma thirteen and a half years ago.

So, like millions of other people around the world, I made a New Year's resolution to start working out on a more consistent basis. In addition, I was going to start watching my calories.

Now, there is nothing wrong with working-out on a regular basis to maintain health. I did not get to the point where I was working out too much and/or over exerting myself. (Per the article: Extreme exercisers work out despite illness, injury or exhaustion and solely for weight loss. This is another disordered eating category.)

I did however become obsessed with counting calories. I found websites on which I could log my meals. I studied and compared food choices and would deny myself food even if I was still hungry, for the simple reason that my calorie count for the day would not allow it. On weekdays, it was easy to log everything, since I spend 8 hours a day on the computer anyways. I could plan ahead to make sure I knew what I could and could not have once I got home. Then on weekends, I would race to my computer anytime I ate or drank something with caloric value. I had to log it! If I didn't log it, I'd forget, and then it would throw off my daily count!

It became an obsession. I had a fear of gaining weight. I had a fear of being the third generation of having weight issues. Both generations before me did not have weight problems until their late-20's. I was not in the clear! Anything could happen! I needed to get control now!

But then it hit me. As long as I make wise choices, and I maintain an active lifestyle, I do not need to run to the computer after every little bite. I know what things I should and should not have. I understand how to eat in moderation. I do not grab the tub of ice cream and eat it in one sitting. I scoop it into a coffee mug and enjoy a serving. I eat fruits and/or veggies with every meal. Just from working out, the giggles I had started noticing have gone away.

While calorie counting and logging my foods for the first quarter of this year confirmed that I do know how to make wise decisions, I refuse to keep a daily log any longer. I was a prisoner.

Will I ever log my foods again? Yeah, probably. I may check-in once in a while to make sure I am still making good decisions. But I will never allow myself to become obsessed again. .... But I must admit, it is still a struggle to NOT think about it. I am a calorie prisoner. Whether or not I physically count the calories, they may hold me prisoner forever. Why? Because I have a fear of what my genes might hold for my future....

geminisunset.newsvine.com

"Calorie Prisoners" Latest Type of Eating Disorders

2009-08-10T19:42:00.004-04:00

"Calorie Prisoners" latest type of eating disorders
Posted: Aug 06, 2009 5:20 AM PDT

Calorie prisoners becoming newest type of eating disorder

(NBC NEWS) -- Are you a secret eater? A calorie prisoner? A University of North Carolina survey finds 60-percent of women have an eating disorder, and they may not take more familiar forms like anorexia or bulimia.

One woman shares her story. Chocolate and red wine isn't just a guilty pleasure for her, but secret. "After he goes to bed, I'll break out the big bar of chocolate", this secret eater said. "That's pretty sad."

Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jay Ashmore knows this type of eating can be serious for women, and is one of the most common eating disorders.

"Eating a large amount of food in a certain discreet period of time, feeling a sense of loss of control, as if you can't control your eating", Dr. Ashmore said. "A host of criteria have to be met such as eating in secret, eating until uncomfortably full, and feeling negative about it during or after the eating episode."

Secret eaters are not alone.

Calorie prisoners are consumed with counting every morsel; the career dieter's weight is like a yo-yo. Up and down, up and down.

Dr. Ashmore says the conditions can lead to more serious disorders.

"Anger, stress, anxiety. And that in and of itself or in combination without eating can trigger a binge or over-eating or eating when not hungry.

Why? Because it just feels good, and you're going to do something that feels good to help you manage that negative mood."

And when food takes over your life, doctors say it's time to take control.

Two steps can put most women on the road to recovery.

First, find another more constructive way to make yourself feel good.

"Pleasant activity scheduling, whatever that is", Dr. Ashmore said. "Taking a job, going shopping, something you like to do, calling a friend."

Then, Dr. Ashmore uses cognitive therapy to help women find their core issue and deal with it without the help of food.

"Can I actually cope with it and get it done? Well the fact is if i sit down and really think about it, I can", Dr. Ashmore said.

Doctors say if you don't tackle the problem early, harmless eating disorders can turn into obesity, heart disease and even diabetes.

www.wgem.com

Eating Disorder NOS: What Does This Really Mean?

2009-07-12T08:44:00.002-04:00

Most everyone has heard of the two most common eating disorders, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Recently binge eating disorder (BED) has been added to this list of major eating disorders. For those who don not fit into any of these categories, is another, often confusing diagnosis: Eating Disorder NOS (Not Otherwise Specified). This clinical term is misunderstood by many. What does EDNOS really mean? In this article, I will explain, as well as debunk some common misconceptions about this disorder.

When a clinician (psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, physician, etc.) diagnoses a person with any psychological disorder, the standard reference tool is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, or DSM. There have been several revisions of this manual, the current one being the DSM-IV-TR (forth edition, text revision). This manual is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Mental health professionals use this manual as a sort-of "cookbook" for mental illness. The DSM standardizes diagnoses so that there are fewer discrepancies among professionals. The insurance companies also like this manual, as they can understand exactly what a particular diagnosis is, and subsequently decide if the will cover treatment.

The problem with this very black-and-white approach to mental illness is that humans are not that simple. It is very difficult to place people neatly into categories. This is the issue with eating disorder specifications. Each disorder in the DSM, eating disorders included, have a list of criteria required to make a specific diagnosis. For example, to be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, the patient must have an intense fear of gaining weight, refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (85% of ideal body weight), disturbance in the way one's body weight or shape is experienced, and in postmenarcheal females, amenorrhea (the absence of at least three consecutive periods) (DSM-TR-IV).

This very specific, technical list of symptoms dictates diagnosis in a patient. For example, if a young woman exhibits all of the other symptoms, but has not lost her period, she can not be accurately diagnosed with Anorexia. Similarly specific guidelines describe Bulimia Nervosa. For this disorder, there are frequency of binges and duration of disorder criteria in the DSM.

So what if someone doesn't fit neatly into one of these categories? What about the young woman who hasn't lost her period? What about the girl who binges and purges, but only once a week, one binge short of the two-per-week cut-off for Bulimia? These individuals are still suffering from an eating disorder. For these and millions of other American women (and men), there is the term Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (NOS).

The DSM-IV-TR lists examples of EDNOS:

For females, all of the criteria for Anorexia Nervosa are met except that the individual has regular menses.
All of the criteria for Anorexia Nervosa are met except that, despite significant weight loss, the individual's current weight is in the normal range.
All of the criteria for Bulimia Nervosa are met except that the binge eating and inappropriate compensatory mechanisms (purging of some sort) occur at a frequency of less than twice a week or for the duration of less than 3 months.
The regular use of inappropriate compensatory behavior by an individual of normal body weight after eating small amounts of food (e.g., self-induced vomiting after the consumption of 2 cookies).
Repeatedly chewing and spitting out, but not swallowing, large amounts of food.
Binge-eating disorder: recurrent episodes of binge eating in the absence of the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors found in Bulimia Nervosa. Note: These are the criteria listed in the DSM-IV-TR. Binge Eating Disorder is now recognized as a separate disorder. For more information, refer to my article about the recent research on BED.

The most common misconception about Eating Disorder NOS is that it is not a true disorder, or not life-threatening. EDNOS is absolutely a diagnosable disorder, as listed in the DSM. The idea that EDNOS is not serious is a dangerous myth. Any eating disorder is harmful and potentially life-threatening. This diagnosis simply means that the individual did not fit perfectly into one of the other main disorders. It has no implication on the severity of the problem.

As with any eating disorder, if you or someone you know exhibits any of these symptoms, seek advice of a physician or mental-health professional. There is a lot less research and publicity on this more common disorder (a fact that is little-known). Despite this, websites such as www.something-fishy.org and other such websites can provide helpful and valuable information. In this day of age, when eating disorders Anorexia and Bulimia are household terms., Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified should be equally as discussed.

By: Sarah Senghas