Eating for a ChangeEating for a ChangeAlmost 90% of Americans

believe they are overweight35% say they want to lose

at least 15 poundsDieting is a $46B industry

Obesity- exceeding the average Obesity- exceeding the average weight by 20%weight by 20%

• ¼ - 1/3 adults fit this category• Obesity affects more people (1.3B) in the world than

underweight (800M)• Psychological effects

• Interpersonal/ sexual anxiety, job discrimination• Physical effects

• High blood pressure/Heart disease• Diabetes• Back/ joint problems• Respiratory disorders/ apnea• Cancers

Eating disordersEating disorders• Obesity• Anorexia• Bulimia• Binge Eating Disorder

Why has obesity increased so much?Why has obesity increased so much?

• Food has always been a means to show love• Stressed people just want convenient meals• Agribusiness has increased the richness of

food, adding sugars & marketing• Meal portions have

increased• Children don’t play outside

after school as much• Video games increased• Toys skew “normal”

• Barbie would be 33-18-28!• GI Joe has buffed up!

Weight trends between Playboy Weight trends between Playboy bunnies & Miss America contestantsbunnies & Miss America contestants

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Differences in issues for people Differences in issues for people with eating disorderswith eating disorders

• Stigmatization is easier, since eating issues are so evident to others.

• Childhood issues around food.• Food = love• Bad feelings? Eat it…

• A person cannot simply abstain from food.• Depression correlates with overweight as there are low

levels of serotonin in both.• Foods that raise serotonin levels are craved- carbs, dairy ,

sweets that raise tryptophan.• More fat cells contribute to craving, irritability; pressure to

return to set point• Very efficient metabolism, lower activity levels, genetics.

ObesityObesity• Early eating patterns set up overweight in

adulthood. • We learn family patterns of what to eat and how

to use food (to medicate bad feelings, soothing.)• Fast food, sugary drinks

• Sedentary habits- sports participation relates to being normal weight.

• Culture • some groups stigmatize obesity more than others.

• African American girls have more problems with weight• lower basal metabolic rate, less exercise, more time in

front of TV• long term effects are cardiovascular disease & diabetes

Disordered Disordered EatingEating

• AS teens develop & become dissatisfied with their bodies, they begin dieting • (only ¼ of teens are happy with their size)

• Dieting sets up unhealthy attitudes toward food• Poor body image, depression, alcohol/ substance abuse &

poor relationships all relate to eating disorders• Media & magazines show such skewed body images that

reading fashion magazines can drop self esteem immediately

• Treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy & SSRIs• The only way to overcome set point pressures is exercise

Causes of eating disordersCauses of eating disorders• Children who are trying to exert influence in

overly controlling homes• Symptom of other emotional problems-

internalized distress• Genetics contributes 50% in causation• Upper & middle class women• Social context matters- bulimia can be contagious

in sororities• All types show malfunction in serotonin system• Number of fat cells- they don’t disappear when

one loses weight- they put great pressure on the hypothalamus to re-establish their bulk when shrunk- the cause of the set point

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Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating DisorderDisorder

• Binge Eating Disorder (BED) • Most common eating disorder

• Compulsions around eating/ cravings

• Anorexia• Self-imposed dieting/ loss of 25%+ weight,

distorted perception of the body/ cessation of menstruation

• Bulimia• Hidden binge eating of high fat/ sugared

foods; loss of control of eating; gobbling

• Various means of purging intake: vomiting, laxatives, exercise, enemas

Anorexia nervosaAnorexia nervosa• Anorexics

• weigh less than 85% of normal• have an intense fear of gaining weight• have a distorted body image• an obsessive quality to thinking• Begins with a diet, then life stress.• 10X more common in women, especially

white, middle class, high achieving, image-conscious

• Fashion images are markers of acceptable looks• 70% of anorexics recover, 10% die• Achievement oriented females/ good students, athletes,

perfectionists• High levels of serotonin relates to anxiety/ obsessions

• Reduced eating reduces levels of tryptophan/ serotonin

Bulimia nervosaBulimia nervosa• Binge and purge cycle to maintain weight.• Look more normal than anorexics.• Variety of techniques:

• Excessive exercise• Laxatives• Throwing up• Diuretics

• More open to help/ found more often in Western societies

• 90% are women, as many as 10% of college women say they have had this problem.• Men who have this problem are more disturbed, often gay or in

sports that are weight measured- wrestling, jockeys• Outgoing, adventurous, impulsive

Conditioned desireConditioned desire

• Like other addictions, when the person with food issues is around food & in a context for eating, increased dopamine activity occurs

• Reduced dopamine receptors relate to obesity (& heroin addiction)

• Orosensory pathways- increased brain activity related to oral sensations

• Lowered sensitivity to satiety cues (recognizing you are full)• “Moreishness” factor- wanting more even when full

• Whitney Houston’s transformation indicated her unresolved emotional issues as well as her addictions

Obesity around Obesity around the world the world

• Developing countries are markets for food industries who promote cheap, sweet foods

• Mexico’s obesity rate went from 10% in 1989 to 71%F/ 66%M in 2006

• Obesity is related to poverty

Sweet foods are calmingSweet foods are calming• Overeating does calm feelings of anger, low

self-regard, loneliness, tension• It also brings on sleep

• Being overweight heightens feelings of low self-esteem, anxiety, rejection

• Depression may be the result of overeating, not the cause

• Even babies will calm when given sweet bottles

• Heroin addicts will crave sweets when they can’t get a fix