Health Notes

Ch 6

Lesson 2 Fad Diets and Eating Disorders

  1. Risky Weight Loss Strategies- many strategies fail to produce long-term results but many can also cause serious health problems
  2. Fad Diets- weight-loss plans that are popular for only a short time
  3. Hard to stick to
  4. Do not offer information on eating healthy
  5. Severely restricts food intake, which leads to not enough nutrients
  6. Weight loss is usually regained after the “fad” diet
  • Liquid Diets-a person replaces all of his or her food intake with a special liquid formula
  • very low calorie diets do not meet energy needs
  • usually do not provide the body with fiber needed
  • these products carry warning labels required by the FDA which state they are recommended to be used under close supervision
  • Fasting- abstain from eating.
  • Fasting for more than short periods deprives your body of nutrients and energy
  • Body begins to break down protein stored in muscle tissue
  • May become dehydrated
  • Diet Pills- many diet pills suppress appetite
  • Cause drowsiness, anxiety, a racing heart
  • May cause the body to lose more water than normal leading to ______
  • May claim to “block” or “flush” fat from body, but a low-risk pill has not been developed
  1. ______- repeated pattern of loss and regain of body weight
  2. some diets cause quick weight loss, which is usually just water weight, as soon as the diet is over, that weight is gained back
  3. common in people who follow fad diets
  4. some reports show weight cycling is harmful
  1. Risks of Eating Disorders
  2. Eating disorder- an extreme, harmful eating behavior that can cause serious illness or even______
  3. Exact cause of eating disorders is unknown; may be mental or emotional factors, social and family pressures, perfectionism, or poor body image
  4. 90% of those with eating disorders are ______
  5. serious health problems and those who suffer need professional help

* Anorexia Nervosa- disorder in which the irrational fear of becoming obese results in severe weight loss from self-imposed starvation

- a psychological disorder with ______and ______consequences

- Develops most often in teenage girls and young women

- Symptoms include extremely low calorie intake, an obsession with exercising, emotional problems, an unnatural interest in food, a distorted body image, and denial

Health Consequences:

-drastic reduction of body fat, may cause stop of menstruation

- loss of bone density, low body temp, low blood pressure, slowed metabolism

- serious heart problems, irregular heartbeat could lead to cardiac arrest or death

*Bulimia Nervosa- a disorder in which some form of purging or clearing of the

digestive tract follows cycles of overeating

- a person often fasts or follows a strict diet and then binges, or quickly

consumes large amounts of food

- after eating a person may vomit or take laxatives to purge the food from

the body

- symptoms can include distorted body image or an unnatural interest in

food

Heath Consequences:

- serious health problems, even death

- dehydration, kidney damage, irregular heart beat

-destroy tooth enamel, tooth decay, damages to tissues of stomach, esophagus, and mouth

-may cause nutrient deficiency

*Binge Eating Disorder- disorder characterized by compulsive overeating

- consume huge amounts of food at one time but not trying to purge

- food may be a coping mechanism for strong emotional or depression

- requires professional treatment

Health Consequences of binge eating

- unhealthful weight gain

-health problems; type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood

pressure, high cholesterol

Help for Eating Disorders:

  • people with eating disorders need professional medical and psychological help
  • all eating disorders are serious
  • if you believe a friend might be developing an eating disorder, discuss the problem with a parent, counselor, or school nurse
  • be supportive of your friends if problem exists