Walking a Thin Line

Recognizing and Preventing Eating Disorders

By Carma Haley

Being a cheerleader, member of the debate team, starter on both the volleyball and softball teams and having the "star quarterback" as a boyfriend, Cassie seemed to have the life that every high school girl dreams of. However, Cassie's life was cut short when she died from complications of bulimia shortly after Christmas her senior year of high school.

Cassie's story is not unique. According to the National Eating Disorders Screening Program, an estimated 3,000 young women die each year from complications due to eating disorders, namely anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. These numbers appear small in relation to the total population. But it's believed that more than half of the young females that suffer from either of these eating disorders are never diagnosed, resulting in incomplete statistics.

Anorexia nervosa, more commonly known as "anorexia" or "self-starvation," is an eating disorder in which a person develops a preoccupation with diet, weight and being thin. Developing this preoccupation can lead to an excessive loss of weight as a result of decreased consumption of food and water. The amount of weight an anorexic may lose can be as much as 15 percent of their total body weight. The disorder of anorexia can result in various, often serious, medical consequences. Examples of medical conditions that can result include dehydration, loss of monthly menstrual period, hair loss, weakness, fatigue, heart tremors and shortness of breath.

Eating disorders primarily affect young women between the ages of 12 and 25. Those suffering from anorexia will appear very thin or underweight and may hide their appearance with oversized, loose clothing. Anorexics may not recognize their own problem. It is estimated that one percent of teenaged girls will develop anorexia, and 10 percent of those will die from complications of the disorder.

Want to see more?

• Fatal Trend: Pro-anorexia Web Sites
• Triple Threat: What Every Parent Should Know
• Disordered Eating: The Dieting Game
• Talk about it!