Body Fat and Eating Disorders

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper

Christy Arnette

SCI/241

8/14/2013

Allison Butler

     The proportion of fat and fat-free mass in the body is body composition. In order to have a healthy body composition, you must have a higher proportion of fat-free mass to a lower proportion of body fat. A body composition that includes excessive body fat will suffer from weight-related health issues. These issues will include things like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gallbladder disease, arthritis, respiratory issues, menstrual problems, and cancers of the uterus, breasts, colon, and prostate. When someone is obese, it puts them at a higher risk for complications during surgery and it also causes their wounds to heal slowly.

     The obesity epidemic has many factors that influence it. One of the biggest factors is fast food restaurants. These restaurants provide food in minutes and makes getting it very convenient. Foods that are prepared at these fast food restaurants are high in fat, sodium, and calories. They do not provide necessary nutrients, vitamins, or minerals that our body needs on a daily basis. Another factor that influences obesity is exercise. Daily exercise is valuable to staying in good health and keeping excess body fat off. People get into the routine of coming home and sitting in front of the television. Some even eat their meals in front of the T.V. When your body doesn’t get enough physical activity, it will store fat and not burn it off. This causes excess body fat to accumulate on a person, which leads to bigger health problems.

     Eating disorders are very serious and cause severe medical issues for a person. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are the three most common eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is a disorder that causes severe mood swings, dizziness, headaches, fainting spells, depression, lack of energy, constipation and bloating, slowed thinking and poor memory, brittle nails, and dry yellowish skin. Bulimia nervosa causes a sore throat, hoarseness, weight gain, abdominal pain and bloating, broken blood vessels of the eyes, swelling of the hands and feet, acid reflux, ulcers, loss of menstrual periods, and ruptured esophagus or stomach. Binge-eating can lead to obesity over a long period of time. Obesity causes diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, some cancers, gastrointestinal issues, muscle and joint pain, and sleep apnea.