EATING DISORDER SOCIOLOGICAL PRESPECTIVE

Eating Disorder Sociological Prespective

Eating Disorder Sociological Prespective

Introduction

The unrealistic image of thinness and the excessive value that is placed on weight and appearance in today's society creates excessive pressure on girls to achieve a body weight and size that is unrealistic, as a result a large group of girls are using unhealthy dieting practices that result in full or partial eating disorders (Pike, 1995). An eating disorder is a psychosomatic illness, which means that emotional distress is expressed through bodily symptoms. Anorexia and bulimia are diseases that affect the mind and body simultaneously. They affect the way people think, perceive, and process information. A core belief in these eating disorders is that a loss of weight will lead to an improved life (Emans, 2000).

Discussion

Bulimia is a syndrome that is characterized by episodes of binge eating usually followed by purging, or in extreme cases by laxatives or diet pills. Bulimics have knowledge that this eating pattern is abnormal, but fear that otherwise they won't be able to control their eating. Depression and a negative self-image are also characteristics of bulimia (Lakin and McClelland, 1987). Bulimia is known as the secretive disorder because there are no outward signs or symptoms. Bulimics also tend to be of average weight or above weight. Dentists are usually the first to be able to detect bulimia due to tooth enamel erosion. Bulimia can potentially cause great harm because of electrolyte imbalance, potassium depletion, and kidney disorders (Lakin and McClelland, 1987).

Anorexia is an eating disorder that is characterized by self-imposed starvation. In an attempt to reach their “ideal” thinness anorexics tend to lose between 25 and 50 % of their body weight. Severe anorexic females will even stop menstruating because they do not have the required 15% body fat for menstruation to occur. Malnutrition due to anorexia also causes an extreme sensitivity to cold, brittle hair and nails, hair loss, and fine dark hairs that cover the body. If anorexia continues serious damages can occur, the heart muscle can shrink, the kidneys can fail, loss of bone mass, and eventually death if starvation continues (Berk, 2004). There are multiple factors that contribute to eating disorders in adolescents. Feelings of isolation, negative body image, and poor family and social connections are just a few. Eating disorders are serious and complex and professional help should be sought.

Etiology

There are many hypotheses as to the etiology of eating disorders. Among the key factors reported in the literature are social and cultural issues involving women in our society, dysfunctional interpersonal relationships with family members, traumatic experiences including sexual abuse, difficulty with identity formation, and biological and genetic predisposition (Grothaus, 1998).

The feminist perspective argues that female slenderness has been imposed on women by society through the media by newspapers, magazines, and television. By the economy through women?s clothing and beauty products. Slenderness is thought to be the magical clue to happiness and success. The ideal shape of women in the media has become thinner over the last two ...