Blog Assignment 7

My current problem definition is the following: The incidence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia has increased over the past 10 years in American women between ages 12 and 25. It is through both passive and active surveillance that eating disorders are assessed. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, pediatricians, who record their patients’ height and weight through yearly appointments, are often the ones who identify a case of an eating disorder in their patient. Also, those suffering from an eating disorder often end up in the hospital, and this is documented by hospital records. Thus, in this way, the number of cases is not sought out, but rather is collected through both pediatrician and hospital records. Additionally, as eating disorders became a pressing public health concern, active surveillance has additionally taken place. Surveys or questionnaires are sometimes distributed to high school students to assess the prevalence of eating disorders in certain communities, for example. Also, studies have followed a specific group of population to watch for trends of eating disorders and their development. 

According to epidemiologic studies cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the overall number of cases of eating disorders in adolescents has been on a steady increase since the 1950s. It is estimated that 0.5% of adolescent females in the US have anorexia nervosa, and that 1% to 5% have bulimia nervosa. In a specific study conducted in Minnesota, an overall age-adjusted incidence rate for females coming out at 14.6 per 100,000 person-years during a 50-year period, 1935 through 1984. This, however, does not include a large number of cases of which show the physical and psychologic consequences, but do not meet all of the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) for anorexia or bulimia nervosa. According to an epidemiologic study conducted by Stanford University and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, rates are highest in females in the age group 15 – 19, and that prevalence has increased from 1935 to 1999 in females 15 – 24. Additionally, studies, such as a ten-year follow up conducted by the Department of Psychiatry in Minnesota, show that there is a very high frequency of relapse and a 13-fold increase in mortality for those suffering from eating disorders.

The rates and indicators listed above have come extremely reliable sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and Stanford University. The majority of epidemiologic studies cited in these sources have come through passive surveillance, mainly through the analysis of hospital records, pediatrician documents, and physical evaluations. These sources do include some studies that have female high school students reporting their weight, behavior, eating habits, etc. as well, which always carries the weakness of not being 100% trustworthy and reliable. Girls may lie or withhold information that could greatly affect the outcomes of these experiments. Though, the majority of information does come from medical records, which are very reliable. In addition, however, it has been stated numerous times in these studies that girls may not fully meet the criteria for anorexia or bulimia nervosa, and thus are not counted in statistics, but do show many of the physical and psychological symptoms and consequences of such a disorder.

           

Works Cited:

David S. Rosen. From the American Academy of Pediatrics: Clinical Report: Identification and

Management of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Pediatrics 2010; 126:6

1240-1253; published ahead of print November 29, 2010.

E. D. Eckert, K. A. Halmi, P. Marchi, W. Grove, R. Crosby. Ten-year follow-up of anorexia

nervosa: clinical course and outcome. Psychol Med. 1995 January; 25(1): 143–156.

Lucas, Alexander R., MD, and Mary Beard, MPH. 50-Year Trends in the Incidence of Anorexia

Nervosa in Rochester, Minn.: A Population-Based Study. PsychiatryOnline. American

Psychiatric Publishing, July 1991. Web. 29 Mar. 2013.

Miller C.A., Golden N.H. An Introduction to eating disorders: Clinical presentation,

epidemiology, and prognosis (2010) Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 25 (2) , pp. 110-115.

Eating Disorders in American Women - Blog Assignment 6

            In my final paper, I would like to discuss the prevalence of eating disorders within female adolescents in the United States. The specific population I would like to address, young women, is the group that is most likely to have an eating disorder, making up 90% of those afflicted. As a member of this group, I can attest first hand to the pressures that would influence one to develop this disease. I have witnessed the toll it takes on a young girl and have watched how difficult recovery from such a mental illness is. I find this topic is very applicable in the adolescent population and extremely important to investigate and analyze from a public health perspective. In discussing this topic in my paper, I have defined the problem to the following: The incidence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia has increased over the past 10 years in American women between ages 12 and 25.

            Initially, eating disorders affected those in the upper and middle class, but have spread and now inflict all socioeconomic groups. Within the last 20 years, the number of eating disorder cases have increased, with anorexia affecting one in every 200 and bulimia affecting two to three in every 100 American women. Once contracted, it is extremely difficult to recover, with the likelihood being only 30 – 40%, and the death rate being between 5 and 20%. Once a woman develops an eating disorder, she can suffer from heart problems, anemia, gastrointestinal issues, kidney problems, and decreased bone mass, among many other complications. With only 1 in 10 girls receiving treatment, it is clear that enough attention is not being addressed toward this problem.

As a result of the extremely high prevalence of eating disorders in American women, and the detrimental problems that result because of it, this is a topic that deserves much attention. With the pressures from the media and society to obtain a perfect figure, girls are far more likely today, than in any other decade, to develop an eating disorder. The issue needs to be addressed in order to better prevent and intervene to stop, and hopefully reverse, the rate of anorexia and bulimia in young women. If adolescents are better educated about the symptoms and complications of eating disorders, the prevalence of anorexia and bulimia could be decreased. It is extremely crucial that young women not feel the pressure to go to such extremes to achieve what the media and society portray as “ideal.”