Diseases disrupt health

     By Kim Springer
     View columnist
      Every day we are faced with the fact Americans are getting fatter. The Review-Journal headlined this topic last week on the front page stating that a staggering 52 percent of the population is obese (20 pounds or more overweight).
      With widening waistlines becoming such a concern, it is hard to imagine some people are struggling with their eating habits, or lack thereof.
      Eating disorders are serious diseases that are slowly killing people of both sexes and all ages each day.
      Although the average person is overweight, society puts a great emphasis on being thin. Look at any Hollywood actress and you will see a person that is way below the recommended weight for their height. Unfortunately, more people are looking at these role models and trying, regardless of the cost to their health, to emulate them.
      Bulimia nervosa is a disease marked by episodes of bingeing and purging. The person will eat a large quantity of food in a relatively short period of time and then use behaviors such as taking laxatives or self-induced vomiting in order to punish him or herself.
      Anorexia nervosa, like all eating disorders, stems from the inherent presence of low self-esteem. People living with the illness often have a tremendous need to control their surroundings and emotions.
      Quite often the eating disorder is a unique reaction to an array of external and internal conflicts, such as stress, anxiety and unhappiness.
      The person suffering from anorexia may be abnormally sensitive about being perceived as fat and may be afraid of losing control over the amount of food they eat. Anorexics are sometimes not aware that they have an illness and besides restrictive eating may engage in overzealous bouts of exercise.
      The following is the "text book" definition of bulimia nervosa used to assist doctors in making a clinical diagnosis. It is important to note that you can still suffer from bulimia even if one of the signs is not present.
      n Recurrent episodes of binge eating. Eating in a discrete period of time (two hours) more food than is usually eaten in this time frame. Or, a sense or lack of control over eating during the episode.
      n Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior (vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics or other medications).
      n Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
      Anorexia also has several characteristics that might help diagnose a person with this illness.
      n The refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height.
      n Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight.
      n Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced.
      n Denial of the seriousness of their current low body weight.
      n In women not yet going through menopause, amenorrhea (the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles).
      Both of these diseases are serious illnesses that can have a severe impact on a person's mental and physical health. If you feel you or someone you know may suffer from an eating disorder, help him or her or yourself by reaching out for assistance.
      The Web site www.something-fish.org is dedicated to educating the public on eating disorders and helping those that need assistance.
     
     Kim Springer and her husband, Mike, are certified by ACE, NASM and ACSM as personal trainers. They can be reached at 233-9442, by fax at 233-9446 or by e-mail at springtrain@ netscape.net.