Recent Studies Indicating Anorexia Is Common Among Women
Recent studies indicating anorexia is common among both men and women show that the majority are women. It is reported that one in every six people diagnosed with anorexia are men which surprises some people. There have been over eight million people diagnosed with anorexia and other eating disorders and of those eight million over one million are male. It was often thought that anorexia was a woman’s disease but statistics show otherwise. Most of the deaths from anorexia are senior citizen males over 70 years old. The majority of people diagnosed with anorexia are between the ages of 10 and 20 with the average being 17. There are a few under 10 who become anorexic and some over 20. Anorexia can happen at any age to both males and females. Males have peer pressure and low self esteem the same as females do.
There are three factors that are believed to play a part in the anorexic disease. There may be biological psychological, and socioculture factors involved. The victim of anorexia may have a family member who also has an eating disorder and this leads scientists to believe there may be a genetic factor. The person may have low self esteem and also may have an obsessive compulsive personality which makes it easier to stay on a strict diet. They strive for perfectionism and keep thinking they are fat even when they aren’t. They look in the mirror often and see themselves as fat. The media doesn’t help the situation and aids largely in the anorexic disease because they lead young people into thinking they need to be thin. They see skinny models, actresses, actors, athletes, musicians, and other celebrities and it makes them feel inferior because they are not thin too. Peer pressure such as name calling, people making fun of others makes them have low opinions of themselves.
There was not very much study done on anorexia and other eating disorders until after Karen Carpenter (famous singer) died in 1983 because of anorexia. Anorexia was described as early as 1684 and in 1870 it was described and diagnosed as a disease but not much scientific study was done on it because there didn’t seem to be a need at the time. Our society has put so much stress on thinness that there are far more cases diagnosed today then there were and also there is much more help than there were in the past. There are now treatment centers across the country and qualified doctors and psychologists that can provide the treatment needed. However if the victim does not get help before some major damage is done to the vital organs they may not survive. Treatment for anorexia is a long drawn out process and is not easy for the victim.
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