NEW EATING DISORDERS APPEARING IN THE UK

i. The prevalence of eating disorders in the UK ii. Drunkorexia is more serious than you think iii. Othorexia: Is focusing on high-quality foods an eating disorder? iv. Is vegetarianism a new eating disorder? v. What to do if a loved one is suffering from one of these eating disorders vi. References

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THE PREVALENCE OF EATING DISORDERS IN THE UK

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ating disorders are becoming more prevalent in the UK, which is a worrying trend as more Brits are being admitted to hospital for anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders. For example, new figures from the Provisional Monthly Hospital Episode Statistics[i] show that between July 2011 and June 2012, there were 2,688 finished hospital admissions for an eating disorder, which is a 16 per cent rise on the previous 12 months. According to the data, 74 per cent of these admissions were for anorexia nervosa[ii], which sees sufferers avoiding certain foods and meals to achieve a low body weight. They can lose as much as five per cent of their body weight in just a month. A further seven per cent were admitted to hospital with bulimia[iii], which is characterised by periods of bingeing on food followed by purging through vomiting or taking laxatives to avoid gaining weight. It was also revealed that 19 per cent of the men and women admitted to hospital over this period had other eating disorders, which is a higher proportion than bulimia. But what are the other eating disorders mentioned in these statistics? To answer this question, we will be discussing new eating disorders that are emerging in the UK, the dangers associated with them and some of the signs to look out for in your loved ones.

DRUNKOREXIA: IS MORE SERIOUS THAN YOU THINK!

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There were 2,688 finished hospital admissions for an eating disorder, which is a 16 per cent rise on the previous 12 months
Source: Provisional Monthly Hospital Episode Statistics

new eating disorder that has emerged as a result of the countrys binge-drinking culture is drunkorexia, which means people are drinking alcohol on empty stomachs in order to get drunk quicker or to prevent themselves from putting on weight. This term has largely been invented by the media and pop culture as it combines anorexia and binge drinking. As it is such a new eating disorder, there are no official figures about the number of people with this problem.

owever, CBS News [iv] reports that experts believe drunkorexia affects 30 per cent of Americans aged between 18 and 23-years-old. This suggests it is prevalent among students. Carrie Wilkens, a clinical psychologist and addiction expert, agrees with these statistics and told the Early Show that 30 per cent of young women with drinking problems have some form of eating disorder too. Fellow expert Victoria Osborne, assistant professor of social work and public health at the School of Social Work at the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, found that 16 per cent of those surveyed restrict their food intake to save calories for drinking[v]. She also found that three times as many women engage in this behaviour than men, with the most common motivations being preventing weight gain, getting drunk faster and saving money that would be spent on food to buy alcohol. Nakhara Jacques, a British 18-year-old woman, suffers with drunkorexia. She stops eating from Wednesday night onwards and only drinks tea for the next two days in preparation for a weekend of binge-drinking, reported the Metro[VI]. After following this routine for the last two years, her weight has dropped to just seven stone, her hair has started falling out and her periods stopped 12 months ago. A spokeswoman for the eating disorder charity Beat also explained why drunkorexia is dangerous and should be treated as soon as possible - much like anorexia and bulimia.

She said: Many people are unaware of the high calorie content of alcohol and feels it doesnt count as calorie intake. Any excessive intake is inadvisable - the individual should eat a healthy balanced diet and be aware of the effects of excessive alcohol on the system and the risky behaviour that can result. It shouldnt be trivalised as it is still a serious condition that can impact a persons physical and mental health, the spokeswoman added.

OTHOREXIA: IS FOCUSING ON HIGH-QUALITY FOODS AN EATING DISORDER?

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nother emerging eating disorder called othorexia occurs when an individual has an obsession with eating only healthy foods.

Another emerging eating disorder called othorexia occurs when an individual has an obsession with eating only healthy foods. This is arguably another type of disordered eating with the term being penned by American doctor Steven Bratman[VII] as a way of describing someone obsessed with what they eat and not how much. People with othorexia tend to feel badly about themselves if they fail to stick to their diet and often spend more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food. They also tend to plan their daily menus in advance and feel virtuous about the food they eat even if they do not enjoy it. As this is a relatively new trend, it is not known how many people suffer from it. The spokeswoman from Beat explained that people with othorexia will often ditch all artificial additives and follow a vegan or raw food diet. She said: Where this obsession reaches a point where it overtakes other activities and interests it can harm relationships and become physically dangerous - and manifest itself as a true eating disorder. However, some experts have argued that this is not an eating disorder in itself but is instead connected to an anxiety condition. It could also be a precursor for an established eating disorder, claims Cynthia Bulk, director of the eating disorders programme at the University of North Carolina[VIII].

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IS VEGETARIANISM A NEW EATING DISORDER?

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inked to the above condition is vegetarianism, which may be a way for people to cut out certain foods with no questions being asked.

Linked to the above condition is vegetarianism, which may be a way for people to cut out certain foods with no questions being asked. Being vegetarian does not mean the person has an eating disorder, but recent research from the University of Minnesota showed that 52 per cent of women with a history of eating disorders have been a vegetarian at some point in their lives. Publ i s h e d i n t h e J o u r n a l o f A c a d emy of N u t ri t i o n i st s a n d D i e t e t i c s [IX] , the res ea rc h re v e a l e d t h a t j u s t 1 2 p e r cent of wome n wh o h a d f o l l o w e d a v e g e tar ian diet a t s o m e p o i n t i n t h e i r l i v e s had never deve l o p e d a n e a t i n g d i s o r d e r. This has led to claims that while being vegetarian is not an eating disorder, it may be a signal that someone has developed one as it is seen as a more socially acceptable way of restricting food.

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WHAT TO DO IF A LOVED ONE IS SUFFERING FROM ONE OFTHESE EATING DISORDERS

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ith the rising number of people being admitted to hospital for eating disorders, it is worth knowing which types of disordered eating are dangerous. This will allow you to spot the early signs and symptoms before it is too late. You will obviously want to help but may not know how to even start the first conversation with them because it is a hard topic to approach. Jill Fowler, primary counsellor and clinical manager at Life Works Community [X] , advised picking the right moment to ensure your loved one is in the right frame of mind to discuss their issues. Additionally, you should show the person you are concerned about them while being compassionate. It is also important to provide some evidence of their condition as this will prevent them from denying the problem and make them more likely to seek help from a professional. She also warned that you should not confront them or get angry as this will put your loved one on the defensive, make them feel ashamed or sink further into their problem. Once t h e fi rs t c o n v e r s a t i o n h a s occur r ed, i t w i l l b e e a s i e r f o r y o u t o p e r s u ade them t o s e e k m e d i c a l a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l help f or t heir d i s o rd e r e d e a t i n g .

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REFERENCES
[I] [II] [III] [IV] [V] [VI] [VII] [VIII] [IX] [X] www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/provisionalmonthlyhes www.eating-disorders.org.uk/anorexia-nervosa.html www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/bulimia-nervosa-000020.htm www.cbsnews.com/2100-207_162-3744289.html www.asuherald.com/news/new-stats-show-drunkorexia-affectscollege-aged-students- 1.2402503#.UHwQl2_A-gR www.metro.co.uk/news/904101-drunkorexic-teen- starves-herselfso-she-can-binge-drink-without- getting-fat www.pamf.org/teen/life/bodyimage/orthorexia.html www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1963297,00.html http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(12)00627-2/abstract http://www.lifeworkscommunity.com/news/blog-wordpress/startingthe-conversation-adiction-depression-and-eating-disorders-2/

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IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAY BE SUFFERING FROM AN EATING DISORDER, CALL US ON 0800 0810700 FOR FREE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION