Body Fat and Eating Disorders
Crystal Garza
Nutrition
11-2-2014

Body Fat and Eating Disorders
The body’s composition is the composition of fat to non-fat mass. It is the division of fats to bone, muscle, liquids and organs in the body. The body’s fat to non-fat is a way for doctors and physicians to measure the possible “healthiness” of a person compared to those who have less fat. A measurement sometimes used is the body mass index (BMI) which is a method to assess how much an individual's body weight departs from what is normal or desirable for a person of his or her height. Although BMI does not directly measure the amount of fat in the body it does provide a guideline to what the healthy measure should be (under 25bmi) and how this number correlates to various health risks for having a larger number (more body fat). There are several risks related to a person who has more fat than those with less amounts.
Risks Associated
There are several factors that have contributed in the rise of obesity, not only in the United States, but around the world as well. These reasons are not exactly proven, but the use of one’s common sense can lead to a realization of recent changes in marketing and environmental changes, to name a few examples. The largest seen cause of obesity, especially within children, has been the lack of at home cooking and more towards fast food dining. Marketing techniques aimed to attract the younger generation has gone as far as to offer toys and add playgrounds to attract into fast food diners such as McDonalds. Another example would be the rise of vending machines, literally found everywhere. There has been legal battles fought regarding vending machines located within schools and institutions where our youth spend most of their time when not at home. The lack of physical education has become a problem coupled with the loss of urban environments that promote a healthy living, such as sidewalks, bike trails, and parks at adequate locations to allow for a healthy lifestyle. People have become dependent on roadways, videogames, and fast food and the lack of physical activity has been a major contribution to obesity and lowered healthy practices and rising health problems. There are also questions and concerns being raised on the added chemicals or artificial sweeteners in sodas, chips, and candies. Different versions of corn syrup and aspartame have been linked to obesity as well.
Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge-eating Disorder
Anorexia nervosa is essentially self-starvation that is mainly psychological in nature. It has several problems in the long run such as muscle loss, fatigue, and loss of bone density. Hair on the body also begins to dry and even fall off on people who are going through a long period of self-starvation. The body’s temperature begins to drop as well and due to that the body grows a fine thin hair called lanugo especially on the face to keep the body warm. Heart failure can happen in extreme cases as heart rate is always at an increased pace and lowered blood pressure.
Bulimia Nervosa a disorder in which people binge eat and then purge (throw up), fast, or excessively exercise to keep from gaining weight with the extreme feeling of guilt or shame. This also has repercussions in the form of tears in the lining of the esophagus if one purges, chemical imbalances, discoloring of