Anorexia

Katja

= = =**ANOREXIA NERVOSA** = ==**Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by excessive food restriction and fear, irrational fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body self-perception.** ==
 * SIGNS OF ANOREXIA **
 * Refusal to maintain a normal body mass index
 * Amenorrhea, the absence of three consecutive menstrual cycles
 * Fearful of even the slightest weight gain and takes all precautionary measures to avoid weight gain and becoming overweight
 * Obvious, rapid, dramatic weight loss
 * Soft fine hair growing on the face and body
 * Obsession with calories and fat content of food
 * Preoccupation with food, recipes, or cooking; may cook elaborate dinners for others, but not eat the food herself
 * Dieting despite being thin or dangerously underweight
 * Rituals: cuts food into tiny pieces; refuses to eat around others; hides or discards food
 * Purging: uses laxatives, diet pills , or water pills ; may self-induce vomiting
 * May engage in frequent, strenuous exercise.
 * Becomes intolerant to cold
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Depression
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Solitude
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Swollen Cheeks
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Swollen joints
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Abdominal distension
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Bad breath (from vomiting or starvation-induced)
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Hair loss or thinning
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Fatigue

**<span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;">CAUSES: **
<span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> **Biological:** -genetics <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;">**Enviromental:** -cultural factors, the media <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Families that are obsessed with being thin, and carefully watch their child's intake of food can cause the child to feel like they are not doing well enough for their family, and they feel the need to stop eating in order to please their parents. The media also plays a part in teens getting anorexia; the pressures to be skinny, and look a certain way in order to be beautiful often drives teens to quit eating, or harm their bodies in order to be skinny.