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Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper

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Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper
Body composition is the amount of tissue, fat and water that makes up your body weight, having excess body fat is becoming more of an issue and more common and it comes with health risks. Carrying excess body fat can lead to obesity which is being 30 pounds or more over weight. Some health risks that are associated with carrying excess body fat or being obese is:

❖ Heart disease

❖ Stroke

❖ High blood pressure

❖ High Cholesterol

❖ Type 2 diabetes

❖ Certain forms of cancer

❖ Excess Fatigue

❖ Increased risk of cardiac problems

❖ Hardening of the arteries

❖ GI disorders

❖ Decreased reaction time

❖ Reduced balance and coordination

❖ Increased susceptibility to infections

❖ Decreased circulation

❖ Delayed wound healing

There are a few known factors that influence the obesity epidemic and they are:

❖ A high-fat, high-sugar diet

❖ Lack of exercise

❖ Overeating

❖ Excess alcohol intake

There are several health problems that are associated with anorexia nervosa, here are a few examples:

❖ Irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest

❖ Kidney and liver damage

❖ Loss of muscle mass

❖ Destruction of teeth

❖ Weakened immune system

❖ Icy hands and feet

❖ Excess hair on face, arms and body.

❖ Dry blotchy skin that has an unhealthy gray or yellow

❖ Fainting spells or seizures

❖ Low blood sugar

Bulimia nervosa comes with its share of health problems also, to start with an electrolyte imbalance can cause the heart muscle to weaken and interfere with brain, nerve and kidney function. The heart could even stop beating, along with kidneys failing that could lead to having to be on dialysis or needing a transplant. When causing yourself to vomit the stomach acids can cause ulcers in the esophagus/tissues in the mouth and it can erode the enamel on your teeth.

Binge eating is when a person over eats an enormous quantity of food repeatedly. When a binge eater does not take part in compensatory behavior they are either overweight or obese and can suffer from numerous health issues because of their weight.

From a physiological standpoint one way that eating disorders can lead to health problems is by making someone depressed or suicidal because of their weight gain because of their eating disorder. There could also be the opposite problem and that is weight loss and not getting enough nourishment. A few examples of these problems is:

❖ Feelings of sadness or unhappiness

❖ Irritability or anger

❖ Loss of appetite

All of these problems are very serious and should not be ignored, if you have any of these problems you should go to the doctor for care.

The BMI Debate: Is it an Accurate Measure of Health?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/09/the-bmi-debate-is-it-an-accurate-measure-of-health/

Why a healthy body composition is important?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fitnesswave.com/portal/portal/getdunked/whweighting/whyahealthybody;jsessionid=2D5F411B4A0200C9CB36FD48B6838E5E.node1

Jaret, P. (n.d.). Eating Disorders and Depression. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/eating-disorders

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