Eating disorders: the risks
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive eating carry many risks, and can even be fatal.
Short term
People with eating disorders start to withdraw from normal friends and activities as they become more obsessive, miserable or ashamed.
Bulimics are most at risk of developing a pattern of drug or alcohol abuse. In rare cases, bulimics can cause severe damage to their bodies by making themselves vomit. Hard retching can tear the oesophagus (the inside of your throat), and prolonged vomiting sometimes causes dangerous imbalances in the electrolytes (minerals and ions) in body fluids.
Medium term
Anorexics who continue to starve themselves cause chemical and hormonal changes in their bodies that lead to loss of appetite, feelings of depression and sadness, and in girls may periods stop. The gut is also affected, increasing the chances of constipation.
Continued abuse of laxatives can permanently affect the way the bowels work, and abuse of slimming pills has the same risks at amphetamine abuse. The longer the eating disorder goes on, the harder it is to treat.
Bulimics start to erode their tooth enamel because of the acid damage caused by being sick. Girls may also find that their periods become irregular or stop.
Long term
If eating disorders are left untreated for a long time, serious complications and even death can follow. The effects of anorexic starvation become more severe, and the lack of nutrients takes its toll. Shortages of iron and calcium cause anaemia and osteoporosis (brittle bones). Lack of protein affects the heart muscle, causing irregularities. There is a greater chance of hypothermia because there is not enough energy to keep warm, and fine wispy body hair called laguno starts to grow.
Bulimics can get stomach problems including ulcers, anaemia, and swollen saliva glands that can result in puffed-up cheeks.
Compulsive overeaters are at risk of developing health problems associated with obesity, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and damage to joints.
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