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Eating Disorders Among Adolescent Girls

Jennifer GavrilkoCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay

CHHS 302 Professional Writing for Health and Human Services

California Department of Health and Human Services

+Factors Influencing Eating

Disorders

“Over one-half of teenage girls... use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives (Soyka, 1999).”

+Effects

Cardiac complications are found in 80% of patients with an eating disorder and studies have demonstrated that approximately 30% of deaths in patients with AN are due to cardiac complications (Stiles-Shields, 2011).

+Synthesis

Only 13 percent of those struggling with an eating disorder receive professional services (Caldwell, 2004).

50 to 60 percent of patients don't quite make the cut to be diagnosed with full-blown anorexia or bulimia, and are instead classified as having an eating disorder "not otherwise specified" (EDNOS).

+Solutions

Implement programs to educate parents about the signs and symptoms of eating disorders.

Teach parents that it is important for them to lead by example- Practice healthy eating and exercise habits, avoid being self-critical and critical of the adolescent.

Make treatment options more accessible to low-income and uninsured families.

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References Caldwell, P. & Kirkpatrick, J. (2004). Eating disorders:

Everything you need to know. Buffalo, NY. Firefly Books.  

Soyka, L., Grinspoon, S., Levitsky, L., Herzog, D., & Klibansky, A. (1999). The effects of anorexia nervosa on bone metabolism in female adolescents. The Journal of Clinical Teens Health. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/problems/eat_disorder.html

Stiles-Shields, C., Smyth, A., Glunz, C., Hoste, R. Boepple, L., & Le Grange, D. (2011). A Review of the Role of Psychiatrists and Pediatricians in Outpatient Treatment of Adolescents with Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa. Current Psychiatry Reviews, 7, 177-188