Assignment: Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can plague both males and females, and they generally have different unattainable physical appearance-related goals. Males may feel the need to develop large muscles and are more vulnerable to taking drugs or embarking on exercise regimens that move them in that direction. For males who are obese or disinterested in athletics, there may be considerable social pressure and harassment to increase their muscle mass or overall strength. Females tend to gain weight and body fat during puberty. This tendency is in direct opposition to the “skinny” images they are exposed to through the media. As a consequence, girls are more likely to diet and exercise in ways that emphasize thinness and weight loss instead of fitness. These actions can result in eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa, the act of starving oneself, and bulimia nervosa, the act of binging and purging, are chronic conditions among many children and adolescents.