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Body
weight, fat and dieting have captured the minds and imaginations
of teenagers and adults alike. "Thin is in" and has
stayed "in" for a long time now.
The intense fear of becoming
fat is usually not alleviated by any weight loss that the
person achieves.
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To
give you an idea of how much of a hold weight loss has on us,
consider this: an estimated $33 billion is spent in the U.S. each
year on diet books, over-the-counter medications, health club
memberships and low calorie foods!
Melanie is no different than millions
of other teenagers and adults around the world. And so the real
question here, as mentioned by Melanie, is whether or not she
is able to differentiate between normal dieting and anorexia.
Anorexia (the medical term is Anorexia
Nervosa), is an eating disorder in which individuals refuse to
maintain a minimally normal body weight. Such individuals are
intensely afraid of gaining weight and they exhibit a significant
disturbance in the perception of the shape or size of their body.
The intense fear of becoming fat
is usually not alleviated by any weight loss that the person achieves.
In fact, concern about weight gain often increases even as actual
weight decrease. In addition, individuals with anorexia lack insight
into, or deny the problem.
More than 90% of cases of anorexia
occur in females. Often, but not always, the onset of the problem
is associated with a stressful life event.
The course of anorexia is highly
variable. Some individuals recover quickly, some fluctuate between
weight gain and weight loss, while others suffer and deteriorate
over the course of many years. Hospitalization sometimes is required
to restore weight and in some cases, death results from starvation
or suicide.
With Melanie, monitoring is the key
word. Melanie herself says she just wants to lose a "few
more pounds."That might be fine, but the question is, what
happens after the few pounds? If Melanie becomes less obsessed
with her weight then everyone can breathe easier.
But if the trend continues and Melanie
remains obsessed and panicked about her weight and appearance,
then the family's doctor should be consulted. In addition, therapy
with a mental health professional might be necessary. There is
a very good chance that Melanie will not cooperate, believing
that there is no problem other than her weight, but these measures
must be taken if the need arises.
You need to monitor. Meanwhile, Let's
Talk.
Dr. Ruby
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