Eating Disorders Blog

Popular movie actress Brittany Murphy died suddenly on December 20th amidst rumors of drug use and an eating disorder. She was reportedly discovered unconscious in the shower Sunday morning by her mother. The 32-year-old actress died as a result of cardiac arrest, though contributing factors have not yet been determined.

While autopsy findings are pending, many experts believe that it is highly likely that the young actress suffered from an eating disorder, most likely anorexia. This opinion is shared by Dr. Daniel Kirschenbaum, a clinical psychologist and eating disorder treatment specialist who was consulted by US Weekly magazine.

Dr. Kirschenbaum commented on recent photographs of Murphy: "With the sunken cheeks and skeletal appearance, it suggests the possibility of anorexia. People who are anorexic die ... Starve the body long enough, the body will eventually consume itself.

"Anorexia is perhaps the deadliest of the psychological disorders, and if that applies to Brittany Murphy, it wouldn't be a complete shock. Karen Carpenter was an example of an anorexic, and she died many years ago from a heart attack."

Labels: eating disorder, anorexia

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According to recent statistics, approximately 72 million Americans are currently obese, and this number is expected to skyrocket to 103 million by 2018. Some experts even fear that the average life expectancy for Americans will begin to decline as a result. Scientists are busily investigating the basic mechanisms behind metabolism to identify how and why more Americans are becoming obese.

A recent study supports one recommendation that dieticians have been giving for a long time: establish regular mealtimes. The study, conducted by Satchidananda Panda, an assistant professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, showed that mice on a regular feeding schedule have significantly more efficient metabolisms than mice who are allowed to eat at will. Panda allowed both groups of mice to eat the same amounts of food for two weeks and then performed gene scans to examine activity in their livers.

The mice that ate freely showed chaotic metabolism genes in their livers because they were frequently eating or nibbling. Nearly 3,000 genes involving burning fat and sugar were expressed in their livers. By contrast, the mice that fed on a schedule had a consistent pattern of gene expression; they burned sugar while feeding, but their bodies did not commence burning fat until several hours later. Panda's research also supports the idea that people should abstain from eating for at least eight to 12 hours day in order to trigger fat-burning.

Based on his research, Panda has adopted a policy of eating only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and he reports losing weight since beginning the schedule a year ago.

(Source: www.forbes.com)

Labels: obesity, weight-control

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This week, documentary filmmaker Darryl Roberts spearheaded a major boycott against Ralph Lauren Polo in Chicago, New York and San Francisco. Roberts and supporters boycotted Ralph Lauren stores in the three cities in an effort to protest unhealthy advertising images recently utilized by the company.

The controversy began in October when the company ran an ad featuring a photo of model Filippa Hamilton that had been photoshopped to make her look grotesquely thin. Although Lauren eventually apologized for the poor retouching job on the photo, the company has since run two more ads featuring extremely thin-looking models.

Roberts comments: "Ralph Lauren apologized for the first image of Fillipa Hamilton that was photoshopped ... but later he was caught with a second image and a third image. If he was truly sorry, why didn't he pull the additional ads when he apologized for the first one? So it seems that his company has an apologize-as-we-get-caught philosophy.

"The reason that we're boycotting is that we want him to commit to never putting out another ad that's egregious and offensive to young women and girls again. No more empty apologies from Mr. Lauren. We want a firm commitment that he'll never use ads that are disrespectful and egregious again."

YWCA of America supports Roberts in his boycotting efforts. Lorraine Cole, Ph.D., CEO of YWCA of America, comments: "The relentless marketing of so-called 'beauty' in the Ralph Lauren ads is alienating to all who don't meet ... those artificial standards of 'ideal.' It is time that we ignite a cultural change in this country to end the pursuit of the elusive beauty myth, starting with a boycott of those companies that disregard the self-esteem, health and human worth of the women and girls whose dollars they seek."

(Source: www.prnewswire.com)

Labels: model, advertisements

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Individuals suffering from eating disorders tend to experience heightened distress during the holidays. The increased frequency of family and group meals and other social eating presents a challenge to individuals who have developed extreme behaviors in relation to food.

However, the holidays also present an opportunity for friends and loved ones to observe each other and detect the signs of an eating disorder. Often, individuals with eating disorders will not seek help until confronted and supported by someone who cares about them.

Tamara Pryor, Ph.D., clinical director of an eating disorders treatment center in Denver, Colo., comments: "It is important for friends and family to recognize eating disorder clues and speak up when they suspect their loved one has a problem. Eating disorders can be life threatening, and holding back on addressing the issue only enables the destructive behavior.

"The best approach is to be gentle but persistent with your loved one. Do not expect them to admit they have a problem right away. Allow them some time and space to reflect on your concerns and consider seeking treatment for their disorder."

There are a number of symptoms of an eating disorder. Certain aspects of a person's appearance may provide clues. For example, hair loss, pale skin, dramatic weight loss or gain within a short period of time, and dressing in baggy clothing or multiple layers.

Certain behaviors may also indicate a problem, such as obsessively monitoring the caloric, fat or carbohydrate content of foods; dramatic emotional shifts such as mood swings, depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive behaviors; exercising excessively or at unusual times; and obsessively talking about being fat or losing weight.

Also be on the lookout for diet pills, laxatives, ipecac syrup or enemas in the individual's bedroom or bathroom; books about weight loss or eating disorders; and food hidden in strange places. Strange table manners that may point to an eating disorder include cutting food into very small pieces, shifting food around on the plate to make it look eaten, eating a large amount of food and then immediately going to the bathroom, and frequent trips to the bathroom during meals.

(Source: www.pr.com)

Labels: eating disorder, symptoms, holidays

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Obese children are at higher risk for spinal problems and back pain, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City.

Researchers examined MRIs of 188 young people, ages 12 to 20, who had back pain. About 56 percent of these youth had some lumbar spine abnormalities.

The researchers proceeded to calculate the age-adjusted BMI (body mass index) for 106 of the participants; 54 of these had a BMI higher than the 75th percentile for their age. Of those above the 75th percentile BMI by age, 37 had abnormal spinal MRIs. By contrast, all young people at or below healthy weight had normal MRI results.

Dr. Judah Burns, a fellow in neuroradiology at the Children's Hospital, said in a news release, "These results demonstrate a strong relationship between increased BMI in the pediatric population and the incidence of lumbar disc disease."

(Source: health.usnews.com)

Labels: childhood-obesity

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According to a new study, the loss of a key segment of DNA could be to blame for severe obesity in some children. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, included 300 severely obese children. Some of the children had already been placed on the social services "at risk" register, based on the assumption that their parents were intentionally overfeeding them. These children have now been removed from this list.

The study examined each child's entire genome for deletions or duplication of DNA, known as copy number variants (CNVs). Researchers compared the DNA profiles of obese children with peers of normal weight and found that in obese children certain parts of the genome were missing. Specifically, researchers identified a missing part of chromosome 16, which appeared to be strongly linked to severe obesity.

Researcher Dr. Sadaf Farooqi commented on the results: "Our results suggest that one particular gene on chromosome 16 called SH2B1 plays a key role in regulating weight and also in handling blood sugar levels. ..People with deletions involving this gene had a strong drive to eat and gained weight very easily.

"It adds to the growing weight of evidence that a wide range of genetic variants can produce a strong drive to eat. We hope that this will alter attitudes and practices amongst those with professional responsibility for the health and well-being of children."

(Source: news.bbc.co.uk)

Labels: childhood-obesity, genetics

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Binge eating disorder is characterized by periods of excessive food consumption. This makes the disorder similar to bulimia, but individuals suffering from bulimia consume massive quantities of food within relatively short periods of time and then utilize one or more drastic strategies to purge the excess calories from their bodies.

These purging strategies may include the use of laxatives, excessive exercise and self-induced vomiting. Individuals suffering from binge eating disorder, however, do not purge. One of the most noticeable effects of the disorder, therefore, is usually massive weight gain.

Research has linked binge eating disorder with a variety of serious health problems, including hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Individuals who become obese from excessive food consumption also experience myriad other health issues related to obesity, including musculoskeletal problems, high cholesterol and respiratory strain.

Individuals suffering from binge eating disorder eat compulsively, meaning they will consume large quantities of food whether they are hungry or not. They often feel that they have no control over their eating behaviors. A binge eater may consume between 10,000 and 20,000 calories during a single binge incident, while the average person consumes about 1,500 to 3,000 calories per day.

Recent research suggests several risk factors for binge eating disorder, including age (a higher percentage of people in their 40s and 50s have the disorder), the past or current existence of other eating disorders, mental health issues (in particular anxiety and depression), a history of sexual abuse, social pressures, genetics and high-stress jobs.

Although binge eating disorder is not currently recognized as a distinct clinical disorder, some experts believe it to be the most common form of disordered eating. As obesity in the United States hits an all-time high, eating disorder treatment providers are working to develop treatment strategies specifically for individuals struggling with binge eating disorder.

(Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com)

Labels: binge-eating, treatment, bulimia

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A new research report indicates that a diet high in fat and sugar may actually activate genes that cause the human body to store excessive amounts of fat. So, in addition to adding extra calories to a diet, high-fat and high-sugar foods may actually turn the body into a "supersized fat-storing machine."

These foods stimulate an opioid receptor known as the kappa opioid receptor, which helps to regulate fat metabolism. Stimulating this receptor causes the body to store much more fat than it would normally.

Traci Ann Czyzyk-Morgan, one of the researchers involved in the work, said, "The data presented here support the hypothesis that overactivation of kappa opioid receptors contributes to the development of obesity specifically during prolonged consumption of high-fat, calorically dense diets."

The report recently appeared in the online Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: obesity, diet, fat

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Recently, a member of the French Parliament drafted a new law which would require digitally altered photographs used in advertising to be labeled. The law is designed to highlight what some call the "fakery" involved in creating advertising images, and to help combat unattainable and unhealthy ideals regarding the human body.

The Parliament member, Valerie Boyer, is a 47-year-old mother of two who became interested in the idea of labeling altered photographs because of her relationship with her children. Ms. Boyer sees the portrayal of the human body in media and advertising as a serious subject, and one that has a far-reaching impact on society.

Ms. Boyer commented: "I got interested in the subject of the body because it's really a mother's reflection. It's the closeness I have to adolescents that drove me to become interested in these subjects.

"If someone wants to make life a success, wants to feel good in their skin, wants to be part of society, one has to be thin or skinny, and then it's not enough -- one will have his body transformed with software that alters the image, so we enter a standardized and brainwashed world, and those who aren't part of it are excluded from society."

(Source: www.nytimes.com)

Labels: body image, media, advertisements

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Obesity, morbid obesity and Type 2 diabetes continue to rise in the United States, according to a study published last week in the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications. The study, conducted by researchers at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois, included data from the National Health and Examination Surveys from 1976 through 2006.

Researchers found that among adults with Type 2 diabetes, body mass index (BMI) increased by 17 percent, and among non-diabetics BMI increased by 11.5 percent. Interestingly, the increase in total obesity among adults was much higher among non-diabetics than diabetics.

Total obesity among adult diabetics increased by 58 percent compared to 136 percent among non-diabetics; morbid obesity rose by 141 percent among diabetics and 345 percent among non-diabetics. The study also found that one in five adults with Type 2 diabetes is morbidly obese, and one in three adult African-Americans with Type 2 diabetes is morbidly obese.

The authors commented on the study results: "The rapid rise of obesity among adults with Type 2 diabetes has important implications for the future health of this population. Although cardiovascular risk among adults with Type 2 diabetes remains high, obesity itself heightens risk of cardiovascular mortality, especially among women."

(Source: latimes.latimes.com)

Labels: obesity, type 2 diabetes

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Binge eating affects approximately 3.5 percent of women and 2 percent of men in the United States, yet medical professionals and much of the public remain unfamiliar with this eating disorder. Also referred to as compulsive overeating, binge eating is not yet officially recognized as a clinical disorder; however, some experts believe that it is every bit as serious as bulimia and anorexia.

During the holidays, with the increased emphasis on food and family meals, all eating disorder sufferers face heightened distress. However, binge eaters may find themselves particularly challenged, in the same way that alcoholics are challenged by the holiday atmosphere. In the words of one recovering binge eater, on Thanksgiving and Christmas, "You have this license to really go out of control, and it's acceptable behavior. Nobody notices that you're eating 12 pieces of pie, because you're just trying each one there."

Self-help groups such as Overeaters Anonymous (OA) can provide opportunities for binge eaters to find support and begin the process of recovering. According to some recovering binge eaters, drastic life changes are necessary.

One binge eater described how he used to order eight or 10 platters at a Chinese restaurant and think nothing of it. But, now that he is in recovery, he doesn't let family bring desserts to his home; he doesn't buy Halloween candy to distribute to trick-or-treaters; and he didn't even have a cake at his wedding. During the holidays, he attends additional OA meeting to help steady his resolve and commitment to lead a healthier lifestyle.

(Source: www.suntimes.com)

Labels: binge-eating, support, compulsive overeating

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