How does being underweight affect your

physical health?

BY ANTHONY HORTIS, SAMMY ANTONI

BEINGUNDER WEIGHT

By Sammy Antoni & Anthony Hortis

IT’S A PROBLEM,IT NEEDS TO BE STOPPED

Anorexia is a mental disorder which deceives the victim into thinking they are overweight. This may lead to them starving themselves. This will cause frequent damage to the heart, liver and kidneys. This may also lead to loss of hair, muscle weakness and joint pain. In some cases the victim starves themselves to death.

ANOREXIA

Bulimia is a similar disease to anorexia. People with bulimia have episodes of significant overeating and feel out of control. The victim then vomits their food out to prevent further weight gain. This may cause damage to the damage to the stomach, teeth, throat, and brain. This can also lead to death.

Bulimia

There are many reasons for being underweight, these are some of them:

- High metabolism - Skipping meals - eating on the run - illness - injury - active lifestyles - stress - eating food with inefficient nutrition Most of these reasons don’t raise any concerns but illness, stress,

skipping meals and insufficient nutrition are all issues.

Reasons for being underweight

Women who are underweight are at risk of being infertile. Infertile means they are not able become pregnant. There are many reasons why they can’t be fertile. - You need to have enough fat to sustain a healthy growing baby. - If you are underweight you cannot ovulate. This means that your body can’t release the egg to be fertilized. - Being underweight can also cause you to miss your monthly cycle. In some cases you may not have a monthly cycle at all. Gaining weight almost always increases chance of pregnancy

Infertile (Women)

Osteoporosis is a common side effect of being underweight. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes your bones to become fragile and easily broken. In most people, their hips, spine and wrist is where their bone is most likely to break.

Osteoporosis is caused by: - insufficient calcium, which is needed to strengthen

your bones. Due to under eating you don’t get enough of this vitamin

- Not getting enough exercise - insufficient vitamin D - alcohol abuse and smokingA balanced diet with plenty of calcium will prevent

osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

Anemia is a health risk of being underweight. This is usually measured by the decrease in haemoglobin (red pigment) in the red blood cells. The red pigment is the oxygen in your blood. This is why used blood is blue, because it is lacking in oxygen.

The symptoms of anaemia are: - Fatigue - pain in the chest - shortness of breath If you have anemia you should focus on a weight

gain diet

Anemia

BMI stands for Body Mass Index. Doctors use BMI to see if you have an appropriate weight for your height and weight .

To calculate your body mass, you divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and then multiply the result by 703

Sam tested his BMI and found that it was 20.3.

Determining if You Are Underweight: BMI

below 13 serious anorexia13-14, underweight, anorexia14,18, normal weight

19,21 normal weight, longest life expectancy

22-26, overweight27-31 obesity

above 3 grave obesity

HOW DOES BEING UNDER WEIGHT AFFECT YOUR

PHYSICAL HEALTH?

By Anthony Hortis, Sammy Antoni

& Austin

FITNESS If you are an anorexic you are usually

less fit. No body fat. Weak bones. Worse heart and worse cholesterol.

Fit people Anorexic people

MUSCLE There is no fat on your body so you cant

turn it in to muscle. While you are anorexic you are unable

to gain any muscle.

PHYSICAL FEATURES Little to no body fat. Dry, flaky skin. Hair (on the head) loss, dullness, thinning,

loss of "shine“ Weakness, fainting, and dizziness Low heart rate, low blood pressure, and low

body temperature Depression Organ malfunction, weakening, or failure Malnutrition / starvation (which can be fatal)

Bibliography http://weightgain.lifetips.com/cat/61224/health-risks-of-being-underweight/index.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001381/http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_does_anorexia_effect_people_mentally_and_physicallyhttp://caloriecount.about.com/recovering-anorexia-gaining-muscle-mass-ft81663