Cultural Essay
Deanna Carola
Cultural Essay
Writing- Brown
The Ugliness and Rise of Eating Disorders
Ask yourself this, when was the last time you heard the question: “Does this make me look fat?” If I had to guess, probably not too long ago, right? But why would you hear that question so frequently? Why would anyone be so concerned about their appearance that instead of asking if they look handsome or pretty if they look ‘fat?’ Maybe the reality that eating disorders are more common than most people think nowadays would answer why a superfluous amount of teens and young adults are showing an increase in unhealthy eating behaviors. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality Analysis, hospitalizations for eating disorders have increased 119% in children ages 12 and younger from 1999 to 2006 alone (Arbor). It has gotten to the point that society does not understand how prevalent eating disorders have become. People must educate themselves about what an eating disorder is and what makes them prone to developing one in order to address and correct the upsurge in eating disorders. So what exactly defines an eating disorder? “Eating disorders are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for both women and men. [They] typically involve starvation, purging, and binge eating behaviors” (Tracy). There are three main types of eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Each one encompasses extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. The most prevalent eating disorder, anorexia, is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. People with anorexia refuse to keep their body weight as or above their minimal normal weight for height, age, body type, and activity level. They have an intense fear of gaining weight or being “fat” and often continue to feel “fat” after dramatic weight loss. Anorexic’s main preoccupation is with their body weight and
Cultural Essay
Writing- Brown
The Ugliness and Rise of Eating Disorders
Ask yourself this, when was the last time you heard the question: “Does this make me look fat?” If I had to guess, probably not too long ago, right? But why would you hear that question so frequently? Why would anyone be so concerned about their appearance that instead of asking if they look handsome or pretty if they look ‘fat?’ Maybe the reality that eating disorders are more common than most people think nowadays would answer why a superfluous amount of teens and young adults are showing an increase in unhealthy eating behaviors. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality Analysis, hospitalizations for eating disorders have increased 119% in children ages 12 and younger from 1999 to 2006 alone (Arbor). It has gotten to the point that society does not understand how prevalent eating disorders have become. People must educate themselves about what an eating disorder is and what makes them prone to developing one in order to address and correct the upsurge in eating disorders. So what exactly defines an eating disorder? “Eating disorders are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for both women and men. [They] typically involve starvation, purging, and binge eating behaviors” (Tracy). There are three main types of eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Each one encompasses extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. The most prevalent eating disorder, anorexia, is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. People with anorexia refuse to keep their body weight as or above their minimal normal weight for height, age, body type, and activity level. They have an intense fear of gaining weight or being “fat” and often continue to feel “fat” after dramatic weight loss. Anorexic’s main preoccupation is with their body weight and
Cited: Arbor, Ann. "U.S. Child, Teen Eating Disorders Increase." UPI. 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 7 May 2014. Cara Newlon. "A Guy Thing: Eating Disorders Increase in Men." USA Today. Gannett, 12 Nov. 2013. Web. 1 May 2014. Daw, Jennifer. "Eating Disorders on the Rise." apa.org. Oct. 2001. Web. 7 May 2014. Johnson, Annie. "The Latest Body-image Trend Facing Young Women: The 'thigh Gap. '" USA TODAY College. 27 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 May 2014. Striepe, Becky. "New Eating Disorder Takes Healthy Food Too Far." Care2. 13 July 2010. Web. 1 May 2014.