Eating Disorders

Question 1

define an eating disorder

Answer 1

an obsessive fear of fatness with avoidance of food and other sources of calories with a range of compulsive behaviours when food cannot be avoided

Question 2

what percentage of patients with eating disorders are female?

Answer 2

90%

Question 3

what is in the SCOFF screening tool?

Answer 3

> do you make yourself sick because you are uncomfortably full?
do you worry you have lost control of how much you eat?
have you recently lost more than a stone in a 3 month period?
do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?
does food dominate your life?

Question 4

what management options are available for eating disorders?

Answer 4

> family therapy
empowerment
antidepressant (fluoxetine)

Question 5

what causes are there for anorexia?

Answer 5

> genetic predisposition
perinatal factors
trauma

Question 6

what are some precipitating factors?

Answer 6

> puberty
dieting/non-deliberate weight loss
stressful life events
increase in exercise

Question 7

what are some perpetuating factors?

Answer 7

> delayed gastric emptying so fullness is interpreted as fatness
increased expressed emotion in the family
obsessionality
change of values so food is salient stimulus
avoidance of interpersonal interests

Question 8

what are some psychological consequences of eating disorders?

Answer 8

> extreme overvaluation of low weight
reduction of central coherence
malnourished brain is anxious, obsessional and depressed and unable to interpret emotions
other coping strategies fail to develop

Question 9

what are some social consequences?

Answer 9

> people become obstacles

> withdraw form life and relationships

Question 10

what are some growth and physical consequences?

Answer 10

> brain development impeded
puberty impeded
height impeded
purging causes neurochemical disruption leading to arrhythmias and seizures

Question 11

what are some physical consequences to starvation?

Answer 11

> decreased immunity
> fertility issues
> bone loss
> anaemia
> heart damage
> poor repair

Question 12

what is a binge eating disorder?

Answer 12

ongoing or repetitive cycles of eating unusually large amounts of food unusually fast (often alone) until uncomfortably full

Question 13

what sort of emotions are present after a binge eating episode?

Answer 13

> depression
guilt
shame
embarrassment

Question 14

what is bulimia nervosa?

Answer 14

episodes of binge eating with loss of control followed by compensatory behaviour. they are dissatisfied with body type and weight
minimum of twice a week for 2 months

Question 15

what are the symptoms of bulimia nervosa?

Answer 15

> heart burn
> chest pain
> impulsivity
> muscle cramps
> fainting
> irregular periods
> bloody diarrhoea

Question 16

what are some signs of bulimia nervosa?

Answer 16

> mouth ulcers
> pharyngeal trauma
> oesophageal rupture
> swollen parotid glands
> hypotension

Question 17

what is anorexia nervosa?

Answer 17

restriction of intake to reduce weight relying on compulsive compensatory behaviours if food cannot be avoided. include laxative abuse, vomiting and excessive exercise.

Question 18

what symptoms are present in anorexia nervosa?

Answer 18

> cold intolerance
> constipation
> bloating
> early satiety
> weakness
> fatigue

Question 19

what signs are present in anorexia nervosa?

Answer 19

> blue hands and feet
> delayed puberty
> lanugo hair
> short stature
> osteopenia
> hypotension
> fainting
> dry skin

Question 20

what percentage below body weight is anorexia nervosa?

Answer 20

15%

BMI < 17.5