Have you ever thought cultural conditioning can trigger health disorders? They do. Films, for instance, play a major role in our cultural conditioning. Willowy heroines paired with paunchy heroes are common. You begin to wonder, are women expected to have perfect figures to play heroine, while men can do with just wealth and success?
Then, there is the impact of fashion. Women of the earlier generation did not mind their figures and were content wearing loose salwars or saris; nobody bothered about overweight heroines. But the present generation of girls wear figure-hugging clothes, and in their attempt to ape global fashion, starve themselves to the bone. This leads to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. According to a National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) report, 85-95 per cent of people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia and 65 per cent of people with binge eating disorders are female.
Many reasons
?While eating disorders may have a variety of underlying reasons ranging from hormonal to genetic, social and emotional factors are often the triggers,? says Dr. E.S. Krishnamoorthy, Director of Neurological Sciences, Voluntary Health Services. Dr. R. Geetha, consultant psychiatrist, adds, ?Young girls and women imagine themselves to be unattractive if they are not thin.? They starve to become thin, and continue to do so even when their weight drops to below normal. Then, there are those who have bouts of overeating and then offload these calories by self-induced vomiting or by taking laxatives (bulimia). Some women just slip into repeated binge-eating sessions, while some turn to comfort-eating in times of stress. ?These eating disorders are an emerging problem in India,? observes Dr. Lakshmi Vijaykumar, consultant psychiatrist and founder, Sneha.
Thin can kill
But the truth is, ?thin' is not really beautiful. Not only does it take a toll on the skin and the hair, it could eventually be fatal. Anorexia may lead to absence of menstrual cycle, osteoporosis, hypoglycaemia, electrolyte imbalances causing fatigue, cramps and diminished reflexes, severe abdominal pain, kidney damage, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, dangerously low heartbeat and blood pressure, distorted perception or thinking, and poor academic performance. Sustained starvation can even lead to death. Meanwhile, compulsive overeating can lead to diabetes, hypertension and cardiac problems. Then, induced vomiting and purging can create electrolyte imbalance, leading to cardiac arrest, abdominal cramping, muscle weakness, anaemia, dehydration, headache, tooth decay and fatigue.
If your daughter or someone you know has an eating disorder, you need to consider her emotional state. Surveys show that eating disorders are often accompanied by depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and, sometimes, substance abuse. Some psychologists consider eating disorders to be a manifestation of underlying insecurity, mental disturbances, depression, family stress, conflicts with parents or friends, or conflict between the parents. Here is a chilling thought. ?About 30 to 40 per cent of those with eating disorders would have suffered child sexual abuse,? says Dr. Lakshmi Vijaykumar.
Fighting disorders
?It takes a coordinated effort to fight these disorders: An empathetic female counsellor or psychologist, family support, and medical help,? says Dr. Krishnamoorthy.
Eating disorders usually start in the teenage years. Girls pursuing careers in the fields of art and sport are particularly susceptible. However, anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating disorders can develop at any time. For instance, when relationships go wrong, some women blame their weight though there could be deeper issues involved. Women whose children grow up and leave home sometimes slip into anorexia or bulimia.
What we need to do is counsel women to value themselves the way men do ? by the strength of their accomplishments rather than the size of their waist or the success of relationships.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
* Eating disorders may be a manifestation of insecurity, depression, family stress and conflicts.
* They are often accompanied by depression, low self-esteem and substance abuse.
* People with eating disorders may have suffered child sexual abuse.
* Chauvinistic and cultural stereotyping of women precipitate eating disorders.
* Eating disorders cause major health complications.
