“Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, involve abnormal eating and preoccupation with food as well as prominent body weight and shape concerns. The symptoms or behaviours result in significant risk or damage to health, significant distress, or significant impairment of functioning. Anorexia nervosa often has its onset during adolescence or early adulthood and is associated with premature death due to medical complications or suicide. Individuals with bulimia nervosa are at a significantly increased risk for substance use, suicidality, and health complications. Effective treatment options exist, including family-based treatment and cognitive-based therapy.”
Source: OMS, 2022. Mental disorders. World Health Organization [online]. 8 June 2022. [Accessed on 18 October 2022].
Available at: https://www.who.int/fr/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders
True or false?
Gaining or losing weight is a matter of willpower. | Treating eating disorders takes time. |
| The disease is due to the person being forced to finish their plate as a child. | People with an eating disorder daily experience a feeling of loss of control. |
| Stress and tension increase the problem. | People with an eating disorder often have feelings of uncertainty, a lack of self-confidence and/or self-esteem. |
| People with an eating disorder do it on purpose to attract attention. | The difficulties of people with an eating disorder are not directly related to food. |
| Young women are more affected than men are. | These people do not have enough strength of character. |
| These people often have a distorted perception of their bodies. | Discussions concerning food and caloric intake are useful and necessary. |
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