Eating disorders affect over 7 million people in just the United States alone (Goodnough).   There are many different forms of eating disorders, but the one that affects people the most is Anorexia Nervosa.  This is a critical disorder that can damage a person’s health and can also be very life threatening.  Ten percent of the 7 million people affected are under the age of 10 years old.  Fourteen percent are over 20, 33% are 11-15 and 43% are 16-20 years old (Lynette).  The amount of cases related to eating disorders has increased in the past few years due to society, media and peer pressure.
The term Anorexia Nervosa means “loss of appetite.”  People with this disorder refuse to maintain a healthy body weight, have a distorted body image, and a very intense fear of gaining weight (HelpGuide).   They obsess over the food they eat and the amount of weight they are gaining.  They frequently starve themselves or eat very little, and exercise excessively.  Most times their weight is far below normal for their height and age.  Thinness and self-worth go together for them (MayoClinic).  Many girls tend to focus on parts of their body they do not like rather than parts they do like.
Some of the common signs for Anorexia are skipping meals, rarely eating, making excuses of why they can’t eat, or weigh themselves often.  Even though they are extremely underweight, they see themselves as fat and will never be happy with what they weigh.  They will avoid eating in front of people or go to the bathroom to throw away food.  They will also sometimes take different kinds of pills such as laxatives (MayoClinic).
There are a lot more symptoms that go along with anorexia than people think.  Extreme weight loss, thin appearance, abnormal blood counts, fatigue, thin hair, constipation, dry skin, dehydration, irregular heartbeat, blotchy skin, dry mouth, chills, dizziness, and confusion are only a few of the physical symptoms someone can go through if anorexic (MayoClinic).  Behind every physical change there is also an emotional one.  Denial of hunger, flat mood, social withdrawal, irritability, depression, mood swings, anxiety and insecurities are a few emotional symptoms that can come along with anorexia (National Institute).  Most of the things that drive people to become anorexic are emotional issues such as insecurities or people who be-little them.  Environment and society can also affect the way people feel and can make them feel like they need to fit in.  A sudden loss in weight can pleasure people and make them love the results until they don’t know when to stop.
Not only are people losing immense amounts of weight, but they are also adding other complications to their life that they probably aren’t aware of.  The worst outcome could possibly be death.  5 to 6% of the 7 million people who suffer from anorexia will die.  It does not stop there.  Care givers need to better educate children to understand the dangers and effects anorexia has on their bodies.  Society, media, peers and the environment all affect this disorder and make it worse than it should be.  Everyone should learn the dangerous effects of Anorexia Nervosa.