AWARENESS ABOUT ANOREXIA AND DIETARY HABITS AMONG TEENAGERS.
Type of manuscript: survey article.Running title: Awareness about anorexia and dietary habit among adolescents Revathi.BUndergraduate student Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha University Chennai IndiaCorresponding author Mrs.
Gayathri.RDepartment of Biochemistry Saveetha Dental College Saveetha university Chennai IndiaEmail: [email protected] number : 9176789720Author name : Revathi.B Guide name : Mrs.Gayathri.RYear of study : l – BDS : 2017-2018ABSTRACT:The aim of this study is to create awareness about anorexia among adolescents who are experiencing eating disorder and it’s prevalence in our society.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:It is the questionnaire based online survey by using the link surveyPlanet. This survey was taken by 100 participants. All the participants were adolescents who were under the age group of 12-19. RESULT:In this modern and developing society, the trend has been changed.
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Many prefer to be fit and attractive. But though they try to be fit in unconscious manner by hurting themselves. This leads to a unhealthy society. Hence a good lifestyle changes and healthy balanced diet might help them to have a good physique in their own favour.CONCLUSION:Affected people usually do over exercise to keep them fit and feel anxiety even if they miss workout for one day. Since it is more seen in adolescents their parents must be aware of their child’s natural habits and body health.In today’s society many teenagers/ adolescents are pressurised of having good looking appearance .
Hence these young minds are diverted easily towards this trap of eating disorder without knowing their severe impairments. It’s necessary to spread awareness to sustain a healthy future generation. Continuous intake of medications and correct treatment might help them to get out from this eating disorder gradually.
Finally a good lifestyle changes and healthy habits will always lead to a better improvement.KEYWORDS: anorexia-adolescents-eating disorder-complications-problems in their daily activities- healthy future generation.INTRODUCTION :Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological and a serious eating disorder in which the affected people experiencing low body weight. The main symptoms were extreme weight loss, needless fear of weight gain, and imagination of self-image and body.
In addition to this , boys and girls who suffer from anorexia nervosa fix their mind with a thin figure and abnormal eating patterns leading to lack of appetite. Anorexia is basically identified by starvation without eating any kind of food.Restricting eating habits is the main symptom of anorexia.
They never try to listen to the health impairment and always obsessed about their body appearance.The severe behaviours resulting in anorexia are obsession , frequent refusals and uncontrollable exposure of emotions.While someone may diet in an to control weight, anorexia nervosa is somewhat different in which it is an attempt to gain control over one’s life and feelings, which might also lead to traumatic conditions or a chaotic environment. At first they might set their mind to lose weight as their initial goal and by proceeding without their knowledge they lose the control over them and remain unsafe .Anorexia Nervosa is detected by high energy intake restriction, unnecessary fear of gaining weight and disturbance in self perceived weight or shape. For some people, restricting their food can be a way of controlling areas of life that feel out of their control and their body image can come to define their entire sense of self worth. This might lead to different expression of emotions over the society.
The reasons behind the development of Anorexia will differ from person to person. Known causes include genetics and a combination of environmental, social and cultural factors. Restrictive dieting and excessive exercise can be contributing factors to the onset of Anorexia .
Women and girls with Anorexia may use excessive dieting behaviour in order to achieve a perfect constructed thin attractive ideal whereas men may over exercise and control their diet to achieve a muscular and fit body. Th individual trying to keep their body fit by dieting is not actually wrong but if this goes in a uncontrollable manner by obsession over it all the time might lead to severe health and psychological issues . Hence the aim of this study is to create awareness about anorexia and its serious impairments among adolescents who are experiencing eating disorder and it’s prevalence in our society.MATERIALS AND METHODS:In this survey there were 100 participants in which all of them were adolescents between the age group of 12-19. Anorexia is something which affects majorly the teenagers and hence the analysis among the adolescents make a better understanding. It’s actually a questionnaire based survey in which about 10 questions were asked related to the eating habits and their daily intake of diet.
From the results ,conclusion has been derived.DISCUSSION:The current study says that 60% of the anorexia sufferers are getting full recovery.The rest 20% are not receiving proper treatment in which they die prematurely by suspecting to some other complications related to this eating disorder like heart problems , mental disability,gastrointestinal, haematological and sexual problems. Studies says that in US about 1 in 5 people commit suicide due to anorexia.
Many studies confirm that Females are more affected than males. Patients with anorexia have 47% anxiety problems and 53% feel depression. However studies says that women with eating disorder have different brain activity than the women without the eating disorder. From the survey it’s been analysed that most of the participants (75%)are unaware of anorexia.
It’s a complicated disease . Though it is suffered mostly by teenagers , it is usually begins as innocent dieting behaviour, but gradually progresses to extreme weight loss.Participants who are under the age group of 17 are mostly suspected to suffer from anorexia.Social attitudes toward body appearance ,family influences , genetical and developmental factors are considered possible contributors to the cause of anorexia. Adolescents who develop anorexia are more likely to come from families with the history of weight problems, physical illness and other mental health problems. Complete eradication of anorexia is not possible but a gradual reduction of this disorder can be done by changing the view about the food we eat and the negative comments given about the physical appearance which the others have.Females are predominantly affected than males.
Initially identified in upper- and middle-class families but now it’s been found in all socioeconomic groups and a variety of racial groups.Out of 100 participants ,52% of them were not satisfied with their eating patterns. Many are not following their daily diet and in the name of balanced diet they are forgetting to intake nutritious food. They wanted only the foods which are devoid of fats and cholesterol. Though they intake greenish fruits and vegetables sometimes but in a very small quantity, it leads to a very low energy level and nutritional value.
Finally they even feel giddiness and poor mental stability. From this survey about 55.2% of participants reduced their diet even after feeling tired.It shows that they are unconscious about their health and have an illogical illusion of their physical appearance. They never wanted to increase their weight even if they go to any extent. They prefer reduced diet along with heavy workout. Hence all the way they lose extraordinary weight and become thin .
About 64.6% of adolescents are not following balanced diet. They used to eat junk foods and all of a sudden they don’t eat anything and prefer to have empty stomach. Finally the intake of good nutritious food has become decreased.In this survey out of 100 participants,45 of them feel that they are fat. They feel like reducing their weight but they could not. Analysis says that those who feel fat obviously have the inferiority complex within themselves and lose confidence over their life.
S.NoQUESTIONSRESPONSE Percentage 1Are you aware of anorexia?Yes No 25752What is your age ?12-1415-17>17026753Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?YesNo35664Would you say food dominates your life?Yes No40615Are you satisfied with your eating patterns?Yes No48526Does your weight affect the way you feel about yourself?Yes No48537Do you think you are fat?Yes No 45558Have you ever starved or purged?Yes No37649In today’s society do you think there is more pressure on teenagers to be thin/model look like?Yes No 841610Will you make excuses (eg.’I already ate’) so that you will not have to eat with family or friends?Yes No 386311Do you think it is possible for teenagers to overcome anorexia?Yes No 821612Do you go through long periods of time without eating or eating very little as means of weight control?Yes No435513Do you exercise excessively to try to lose weight and you become anxious if you miss a workout?Yes No306814Do you feel tired when you eat less?Yes No485315Do you follow balanced diet?Yes No3564RESULT:It was found from the survey that adolescents were into the trap of anorexia due to an illusion created by models . Moreover 83.
7% of participants are believing that adolescents can overcome anorexia by creating proper awareness on the importance of health . It’s been proved that anorexia has the highest mortality rate than any other eating disorder. Teenagers are affected by this disorder without their own knowledge and consciousness .CONCLUSION:In today’s society many teenagers/ adolescents are pressurised of having good looking appearance.
Hence these young minds are diverted easily towards this trap of eating disorder without knowing their severe impairments. It’s necessary to spread awareness to sustain a healthy future generation. Changes must be created in the society about judging a person by viewing their physical shape and body appearance.
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