Lady Diana, Kate Winslet, Victoria Beckham, Aamir Khan, Yana Gupta, Richa Chadda - starting from British Royal family to Hollywood to Bollywood, there has been a common thing between all these celebrities - they have all faced an ailment called “eating disorder”. Eating disorders are a range of psychological conditions that cause unhealthy eating habits. They might start with an obsession with food, body weight, or body shape. They can affect anyone but are most prevalent among young women. In severe cases, eating disorders can cause serious health consequences and may even result in death if left untreated. Worldwide, 1 million people suffer every year from eating disorder. It has been researched that highest mortality rate of any mental disorder is eating disorder (anorexia), Over 25% of teenage Indian girls suffer from eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa is a Hypothalamus condition of our endocrine system There are many potential causes of eating disorder, one potential cause could be the pressures to be thin, cultural preferences for thinness, and exposure to media promoting such ideals. Another potential cause could be personality trait. In particular, neuroticism, perfectionism, and impulsivity are three personality traits often linked to a higher risk of developing an eating disorder.
For instance, the affected person may eliminate an entire food group, fearing they’re unhealthy. This can lead to malnutrition, severe weight loss, difficulty eating outside the home, and emotional distress.
Let us now discuss about the three most common eating disorders:
1. Anorexia nervosa: Anorexia nervosa is likely the most well-known eating disorder. It generally develops during adolescence or young adulthood and tends to affect more women than men. People with anorexia generally view themselves as overweight, even if they’re dangerously underweight. They tend to constantly monitor their weight, avoid eating certain types of foods, and severely restrict their calories. Anorexia nervosa is a life - threatening disorder due to the effects of weight loss and starvation on the body and brain. Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate due to mental disorder.
Effect on Heart: Experiments were done during world war II on volunteers who agreed to lose a set percentage of their body weight. It was discovered that weight loss resulted in low blood pressure and reduction in the size of the heart muscle which could result in heart failure. Electrolyte changes can also lead to abnormalities in the heart muscles, particularly due to low phosphorous levels. Fluid can accumulate in the sac around the heart muscles, known as pericarditis, Irregular heart rhythms, and known as arrhythmias, can also occur and may even cause sudden death.
Effect on Endocrine System
• Loss of menstrual periods for female
• Infertility •
Dangerously low blood sugar
• Bone loss
Common symptoms of anorexia nervosa include
 • being considerably underweight compared with people of similar age and height
• very restricted eating patterns
• an intense fear of gaining weight or persistent behaviours to avoid gaining weight, despite being underweight • a relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a healthy weight
• a heavy influence of body weight or perceived body shape on self-esteem
• a distorted body image, including denial of being seriously underweight
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms are also often present. For instance, many people with anorexia are often preoccupied with constant thoughts about food, and some may obsessively collect recipes or hoard food. Such individuals may also have difficulty eating in public and exhibit a strong desire to control their environment, limiting their ability to be spontaneous. Anorexia is officially categorized into two subtypes — the restricting type and the binge eating and purging type. Individuals with the restricting type lose weight solely through dieting, fasting, or excessive exercise. Individuals with the binge eating and purging type may binge on large amounts of food or eat very little. In both cases, after they eat, they purge using activities like vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics, or exercising excessively
2. Bulimia nervosa:  Bulimia nervosa is another well-known eating disorder. Like anorexia, bulimia tends to develop during adolescence and early adulthood and appears to be less common among men than women. People with bulimia frequently eat unusually large amounts of food in a specific period of time. Each binge eating episode usually continues until the person becomes painfully full. During a binge, the person usually feels that they cannot stop eating or control how much they are eating. Binges can happen with any type of food but most commonly occur with foods the individual would normally avoid. Individuals with bulimia then attempt to purge to compensate for the calories consumed and relieve gut discomfort. Common purging behaviors include forced vomiting, fasting, laxatives, diuretics, enemas, and excessive exercise.

Symptoms may appear very similar to those of the binge eating or purging subtypes of anorexia nervosa. However, individuals with bulimia usually maintain a relatively normal weight, rather than becoming underweight.

Common symptoms of bulimia nervosa include
• recurrent episodes of binge eating with a feeling of lack of control
• recurrent episodes of inappropriate purging behaviours to prevent weight gain
• a self-esteem overly influenced by body shape and weight
• a fear of gaining weight, despite having a normal weight
Side effects of bulimia may include an inflamed and sore throat, swollen salivary glands, worn tooth enamel, tooth decay, acid reflux, irritation of the gut, severe dehydration, and hormonal disturbances. In severe cases, bulimia can also create an imbalance in levels of electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium. This can cause a stroke or heart attack.
Many people with bulimia do not appear under weight and might in fact be a bit overweight Their intense fear of gaining weight, however, can fuel damaging behaviour that can lead to serious health issues.
3. Purging Purging disorder is an eating disorder that involves “purging” behaviour to induce weight loss or manipulate body shape. Purging can mean a number of things, including:
• self-induced vomiting
• misuse of laxatives or medications
• excessive exercise
• fasting
While it’s not as well-known as other eating disorders, purging disorder is a recognized eating disorder. It’s categorized as an “Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder.” It’s critical to remember that eating disorders are among the deadliest mental health conditions. They can cause significant harm to both physical and mental health. If you’re experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, remember that you aren’t alone and help is always available.
                                    Purging disorder vs. bulimia
Bulimia is a serious eating disorder that often occurs in a cycle of binge-eating behaviour followed by a period of purging. While bulimia and purging disorder can both share purging behaviours, the main difference between the two is that there’s a compulsion to binge eat with bulimia. Purging disorder is defined by trusted sources as engaging in purging behaviours without it being in response to a binge-eating episode.

Posted By Mr Subhabrata Bhattacharjee , Founder Director Mantra Life Style Health Club Secretart MIHFM , Life Style Coach