Eating Disorders In The News: September 2008


Treatment Can Help Break Cycle of Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is defined as feeling out of control while eating a large quantity of food in a short period of time. Although it is the newest classification of eating disorders, more people suffer from binge eating disorder than anorexia and bulimia combined.

Unlike bulimia, people with a binge eating disorder do not purge, use laxatives, fast or engage in strenuous exercise as a means to get rid of extra calories.

As a result, most people with a binge eating disorder are overweight or obese. Because of this, they are at higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, menstrual problems, sleep problems, gallbladder disease and certain types of cancer.

Read in full here.

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Struggling With An Eating Disorder

The numbers are hard to come by, and they're approximate, but experts say as many as 4 percent of all women will struggle with an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

The numbers are only estimates because so few victims are willing to admit their disease.

Read in full here.

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Increasing Number of Men Succumbing To "Good Looks and Anorexia"

Eating Disorders are no longer exclusively women’s territory, say the experts. In fact, the number of men suffering from anorexia has been on the rise for quite sometime now. Some even claim to have seen more male anorexia referrals than females.

Professor Hubert Lacey, the head of the eating disorder unit at St George's hospital in Tooting, south London, attributes the rise in male sufferers to greater social pressure on men to look good.

"Last week for the first time ever I had more male referrals for anorexia than female.

Read in full here.

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Drug Abused for Weight Loss; Deadly Similarity to Cocaine

(Rochester, N.Y.) -- Popping pills to lose weight is not a new practice. But the newest pill of choice, Adderall, is a prescription drug, that when abused, has effects similar to cocaine.

Adderall speeds up the metabolism and releases more dopamine to the brain, creating a sense of euphoria and decreasing appetite. Doctors use Adderall to treat hyperactivity and narcolepsy.

While it is a stimulant, it has a calming affect on patients. But. if abused, it can raise blood pressure and heart rate-which can be fatal.

Read in full here.

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The Number of Web Sites Promoting Anorexia and Bulimia Has Increased 470% Since 2006, According to Optenet Research


MIAMI, Sept 24, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Analysis of nearly three million random URLs also reveals that over one-third contain pornography
Optenet, a global IT security company and provider of high-performance content filtering solutions, today announced the results of a report showing that adult content on the Internet -- including pro-anorexia and bulimia, racism, violence and child pornography -- has significantly increased since the end of 2006.
The report utilizes Optenet's unique traffic analysis and classification engine for dynamic traffic, which combines artificial intelligence with traditional content filtering technology to categorize Web site and Web 2.0 content. The report tracks Internet content trends since the end of 2006, based on a random sampling of nearly three million Web sites from around the world. Key findings include:

-- Pro-anorexia and bulimia web sites have increased by 470 percent;

Read in full here.

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National Eating Disorders Assn. Issues Strategies For School To Identify, Assist Students With Eating Disorders

NEW YORK,, Sept 24, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In response to an increasing demand from educators for hands-on strategies to deal with eating disorders among students, the National Eating Disorders Association has produced a toolkit of the latest information on how to identify and assist students at risk for anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.
Guidelines for teachers, administrators and staff include:

Read in full here.




sources: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20080924/LIVING0106/809240335/-1/COLUMNS *www.cfnews13.com/Health/KnowYourNumbers/2008/9/23/struggling_with_an_eating_disorder.html*http://www.medindia.net/news/Increasing-Number-of-Men-Succumbing-to-good-Looks-and-Anorexia-42194-1.htm*http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=8f459f19-aa37-4c97-a572-6c17f065bf9b*http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/national-eating-disorders-assn-issues/story.aspx?guid={D7EF1684-FFB8-4432-BB28-62EED01F06EB}&dist=hppr*picture source: bigfoto.com

Eating Disorders: What Parents Can Do



Below you will find some informative links to help parents in the fight against eating disorders.

NEDA (National Eating Disorders Org): 10 Things Parents Can Do To Prevent Eating Disorders

ANRED (Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorder Inc): Eating Disorders Prevention: Parents Are Key Players

A Chance To Heal: Your Role In Eating Disorder Prevention

Kaboose: What Parents Should Do

Kids Health Org: Eating Disorders


picture source: http://www.free-pictures-photos.com/misc/index.htm