Anorexia

Anorexia is the most high profile of the eating disorders and the one you are likely to have heard the most about. It’s characterised by a refusal to maintain a healthy weight. Sufferers tend to believe that they are grossly overweight even if they can be shown objective evidence by way of scales and charts, to the contrary.

Anorexia is the most fatal of all mental health disorders, with up to ten percent of sufferers dying either as a result of suicide, or more commonly due to complicating factors arising from low weight – such as organ failure or heart attack. Read the rest of this entry »

None of these warning signs on its own means that a young person has anorexia but if they are exhibiting several of these signs then you are right to be concerned.

Restricted eating

In order to reduce their calorie intake, anorexics will typically restrict their food intake. Restricted eating can refer to limiting the quantities consumed of all types of food and / or avoiding certain food groups such as dairy or meat.

Skipping meals

Many people skip the odd meal here and there, but it can be a cause of concern if a young person is regularly skipping meals and particularly if they are skipping multiple meals each day. Read the rest of this entry »