Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Essays on Anorexia Nervosa
Background on anorexia nervosa
Two Case Studies of Anorexia Nervosa
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
1.Simpson, K. (2002). Anorexia nervosa and culture. Journal Of Psychiatric & Mental
Health Nursing, 9(1), 65-71.
This article describes how unrealistic standards of attractiveness set by Western society are internalized by women from a variety of cultural backgrounds and translated into fat-phobia and body dissatisfaction and then discusses alternative cultural influences for food refusal such as issues of control, acculturation, and religious asceticism. The author claims that there is a need for culturally sensitive questionnaires and diagnostic criteria and suggests that the notion of anorexia as a culture bound syndrome is no longer valid as the illness as been identified in a number of non-western societies. A valid point is made about the importance to acknowledge that anorexia nervosa may exist without a fear of fatness and that there may be other cultural reasons for self-starvation. However, no concrete solution is suggested as how assessment can be conducted with non-white, non-western populations in order to avoid being confined by Western diagnosis criteria. (DONE Etiology 1)
2.Bettendorf, S. K., & Fischer, A. R. (2009). Cultural strengths as moderators of the
relationship between acculturation to the mainstream U.S. Society and eating and
body-related concerns among Mexican American women. Journal Of Counseling
Psychology, 56(3), 430-440. doi:10.1037/a0016382
Discusses how ethic identity, familism, and enculturation serve as protection from issues of acculturation to mainstream U.S. society, specifically eating and body related concerns faced by Mexican American women. Results reveal that adherence to family values may serve as protection to the adverse effects of living in a society that...
... middle of paper ...
...o how the transmission of dietary habits between generations such as food preferences and restrictive habits may translate into healthy or unhealthy eating behaviors. The second element of the model refers to how body image ideals impact maladaptive eating behavior and finally, the third component refers to perceptions of health an how the meaning of eating disorder symptoms are influenced by culture. The author provides a thorough discussion about how globalization leads cultures to influence each other and highlights the need for a theoretical and experimental appreciation of the cultural impact on eating disorders. An interesting point is made when author mentions that during the Great Depression, in times of food shortage, eating disorders were uncommon, suggesting that the larger social context has a decisive influence on eating patterns. (DONE).
Anorexia Nervosa has been a problematic disease many women suffer from. The article “The Slender Trap” was composed by Trina Rys who is a stay at home mother with a husband and one daughter. Rys writes the main reasons a woman may develop anorexia from. She states that the psychological pressures, expectations of friends and family and influences of the media all are factors when a woman is inflicted with the disease. I strongly agree with Rys persuading argument that anorexia could be caused by an unknown identity and the overall main focus of the ideal image of a woman. Although, I believe Rys requires a stronger argument on whether food restrictions executed by parents are a major step to developing the harmful illness. She seems to put emphasize on mainly women but does not shine any light on men.
Anorexia is a life threatening eating disorder that is characterized by self-starvation, and the urge to lose weight. The obsession of losing weight and the food one eats can lead to anorexia nervosa which is a serious mental disorder. Ethan Watters opens his arguments with the emergence of anorexia in Hong Kong. Watter argues that before, anorexia was a rare and unknown disorder in Hong Kong until it was replaced by the American version. The Asian community has been known for having an obsession for food whereby they share large amounts of meals with family, the issue of food refusal was not in the picture. This disorder of self starvation, and the urge to lose weight was started by adolescents in distress of gaining weight more than their peers because of western influence. The adolescents were impacted by the new wave of cultural shifts, and individualism. Watters use Dr. Lee w...
“The Globalization of Eating Disorders.” The McGraw-Hill Reader. Muller, Gilbert H. 12th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014. 639-642. Print.
Research, 2016. Bordo implicated popular culture as having a serious negative role in how women of America view their bodies. These images have led to drastic increase change in life altering female disorders and eating. Not only does these images affect Americans but young men and women too which they should be fighting against it, not for
Body image is an important facet in understanding the phenomenon of eating disorders. Body image concerns are important in the etiology and treatment of eating disorders and obesity (Smith, Thompson, Raczynski, and Hilner, 1997; Thompson, 1997). The construct of body image reflects the level of satisfaction one feels regarding his or her body. Body image is a multidimensional construct. It involves race, socioeconomic status, age, as well as, perceptual and attitudinal components. For this reason, research has been done to dispel the myth that all women have a negative body image. Rather, as has been shown, there are definite differences in the perception of body image and self-concept, especially across racial lines. The claims of most studies suggest that African-American women generally have a greater tolerance or acceptability for higher body weight. In addition, African-American women are also thought to place less importance on body size in the scheme of their overall body image, and there are more likely to be satisfied if they are at a higher body weight, and still regard themselves as attractive. Research not only confirms these statements, but also draws attention to other important, culturally- relevant factors, such as age in relation to other cultural forces such as, different attitudes and behaviors that shape the body images of African-American women. Finally, since research shows that body image is an important aspect in the etiology of eating disorders and obesity, its influence and the cultural forces and components behind it should be taken into account in treatment and for future research.
In the essay, “Acculturation is Bad for Our Health: Eat More Nopalitos’ ” the complex health status of Latino immigrants in the United States is explained and argued by Juana Mora.
Anorexia nervosa is a psychosociological disease which affects young women. Anorexia is mainly a female's disease which has been evident for centuries-however, in the past twenty years, the incidence of this disorder has risen to horrifying proportions. It is characterized by the refusal to maintain body wight over a minimal normal weight for age and height; intense fear of gaining weight; a distorted body image; and, amenorrhea. (http://www.pgi.edu/hagopian.htm) This disorder becomes a disease when the mind starts to cause problems with one's physical well-being. A connection has been found between sociocultural pressures to achieve, familial characteristics, and individual personality traits.
Shapiro, C. M. (2012). Eating disorders: Causes, diagnosis, and treatments [Ebrary version]. Retrieved from http://libproxy.utdallas.edu/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/utdallas/Doc?id=10683384&ppg=3
Many citizens in the United States and other parts of the world fight with weight and body image issues. Most exercise and eat healthy to help their problems. Some take a more unhealthy and sometimes deadly route. An estimated five million people are affected by eating disorders each year (Alters & Schiff, 2003, p.36). Eating disorders are more common among females. At least three percent of women have some type of an eating disorder (Alters & Schiff, 2003, p.36). Eating disorders are classified as persistent, abnormal eating patterns that can threaten a person?s health and well being. There are three major types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive overeating.
Eating disorders have been a part of the world’s culture ever since people began recording history. These disorders were first recorded in Egypt, where the Egyptians would partake in a monthly purge that would last anywhere from an hour to as long as two weeks. The Egyptians thought the purge showed their gods how faithful they were to them, and would often purge weekly if they had thought they had done something to displease the gods (Epstein 33). Though there are many individual specialized eating disorder conditions, three main disorders affect the majority of society today. These three disorders are anorexia n...
intro- Ninety percent of teenage girls have been on a diet. Some take it too far and starve themselves to be thin. Over one million people in just the US are afflicted with anorexia. If what is on the inside matters, then why are does society and the media constantly promote being thin? The influence of society’s promotion of a thin body plays a significant role in the development of such eating disorders as anorexia.
“The attention-grabbing pictures of various high-flying supermodels and actors on different magazine covers and advertisements go a long way in influencing our choices” (Bagley). The media is highly affective to everyone, although they promote an improper image of living. Research proved says those with low self-esteem are most influenced by media. Media is not the only culprit behind eating disorders. However, that does not mean that they have no part in eating disorders. Media is omnipresent and challenging it can halt the constant pressure on people to be perfect (Bagley). Socio-cultural influences, like the false images of thin women have been researched to distort eating and cause un-satisfaction of an individual’s body. However, it is clear that, although virtually all women are exposed to these socio-cultural influences, only a very small proportion develop clinical eating disorders (Mazzeo and Bulik). Every article believes that socio-culture have an impact on eating disorders. Although, researchers believe that is not the only reason, and the easiest statement to make. Eating disorders are far more complicated than it just being blamed on the media. Bagley, Mazzeo and Bulik all state that media play a role in the development but are not the main reason to developing an eating disorder. In all of the research done thus far media is a part of eating disorders, but not the only culprit.
Wiseman, C., Gray, J., Mosimann, J., & Ahrens, A. (1992). Cultural expectations of thinness in women: An update. International Journal Of Eating Disorders, 11(1), 85--89.
... (Eating Disorders Review, 2007, 5). They are therefore the least likely to seek help for their binge-eating disorders. Healthcare providers should take ethnicity into account when determining causal factors of binge-eating in women from Asian and Native American cultures because they are more sensitive about it than women of other ethnicities (Eating Disorders Review, 2007, 5).
Over time, many diseases and famines have spread across the globe. In the modern, developed world, different, yet equally severe, problems have arisen. One of the leading complications in today’s society is eating disorders. These relentless disturbances are known for being lethal and for ravaging the world.