Anorexia Nervosa On The Body Analysis Paper

Kelsey Brommel
Physiology 208
November 3, 2015

Physiological Consequences of Anorexia Nervosa on the Body Physiology, a branch of biology, is a required course for human nutrition and dietetic majors here at Southern Illinois University and for a good reason too. In order to improve people’s lifestyle choices and dietary habits a qualified nutritionist must know and understand the daily functions of human beings and their bodily systems. A dietetic student aspiring to work in an out or inpatient facility for disordered eating would find physiology especially important due to the unmistakable relationship between harmful eating and one’s body, predominantly effecting the heart and reproductive system. This report will explore that harmful
The article presents a 17 year old girl’s case of anorexia nervosa as an obvious mental illness because she viewed herself as healthy but also fat at the same time when she weighed under 90 pounds. She lost 25 pounds in 4 months and began exercising way more than she had before, to the point of addiction. Other than her weight loss and obsession with working out to lose more weight the patient also stopped menstruating 7 months prior to the hospital visit. During the visit her a blood pressure read 84/70, which was not normal for the girl. According to laboratory exercises for PHSL 208 a normal blood pressure reading would be measured as 120/80. 120 is the systolic number and 80 is the diastolic number. Systolic is the peak pressure when the heart is beating/ pushing out blood, while diastolic can be described as the rest period between beats. What does all this mean in relation to the patient? It can be inferred through the information given that the girl’s heart did not have the strength to squeeze out blood in a healthy numerical rage which lead to unnecessary stresses on her cardiovascular system.
The case described in McGill Journal of Medicine mentions the patient’s lack of menstruation for many months but fails to go deeper into the consequences of starvation on the reproductive system, especially when looking at a case involving a girl who was only 17 years old. The
This report looked at an illness that is unique to each person suffering from anorexia nervosa but each case is similar in the fact that this eating disorder pushes people to exceed the stress their bodies can handle, particularly on the heart and reproductive system.
Works Cited
"ANAD." Eating Disorders Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2015.
"Anorexia Nervosa: An Endocrine Problem?" Anorexia Nervosa: An Endocrine Problem? N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2015.
Raymer. PHSL 208 Lab Experiences in Physiology. 4th ed. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.
Sidiropoulos, Michael. "Anorexia Nervosa: The Physiological Consequences of Starvation and the Need for Primary Prevention Efforts." McGill Journal of Medicine : MJM. McGill University, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.
"When the Heart Fails: Anorexia's Hidden Toll." Rhythm of Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec.