CPG for Eating Disorders

shape. Perfectionism and low self-esteem are common. Often depression and obsessivethoughts are also part of the disorder. Individuals with AN rarely seek help and hide theirsymptoms for as long as they can.What is bulimia nervosa?In the case of BN, individuals engage in bouts of eating large amounts of food (bingeing)and subsequently carry out activities to maintain their weight. This behaviour can take over theirdaily life and hamper social relations and interactions. Individuals with BN usually hide theirbehaviour and rarely seek help. They may have a normal weight, or, paradoxically, becomeoverweight as a result of their inadequate eating behaviours. The fear of gaining weight andsense of lack of control over eating determine their mood and mental state, which can result indepressive processes.What are atypical eating disorders?These eating disorders are called atypical because they do not entirely fit into the clinicaldefinition of AN or BN due to the absence of one of the key symptoms of these disorders.Individuals with these disorders may present a combination of AN and BN symptoms that mayvary over time. Many people with atypical eating disorders have suffered AN or BN in the pastor will develop in the future.The most well known atypical eating disorder is binge-eating disorder. In this disorder,patients engage in bingeing episodes, but do not try to control their weight by means of purgingpractices. They may feel anxious, tense and depressed, with the resulting impairment of theirsocial life and relationships.Atypical disorders, included binge-eating disorder, account for more than half the cases ofeating disorders.What is the origin of eating disorders?There are many predisposing factors in the development of eating disorders: biologicalpredisposition which includes genes, society (pressure to be thin as a symbol of beauty andsuccess), family environment (tense, distant, cold, overprotective, uncommunicative climate,high family expectations, parents’ excessive preoccupation with weight and diet,, obesity in thefamily) and personal character (maturity fears, perfectionism and self-control or low self-esteemand personal dissatisfaction).Experiencing certain situations can trigger the disorder. For example, puberty, stressfulsituations (physical or psychological abuse, loss of a family member, separation or divorce,relocation, adaptation difficulties, exams, etc.), comments and pressure to lose weight, lowcaloriediets, succumbing to the cultural stereotype and adherence to mass media messages,including Internet, which promote an abnormal image of thinness, excessive exercise, etc.Once the disorder has been triggered, some of its consequences serve its maintenance andlead to further deterioration (for example, the biological consequences of malnutrition, socialalienation and mood problems).239CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR EATING DISORDERS