Anorexia nervosa in young people, an eating disorder on the rise

A recent study conducted in the United Kingdom and Ireland has shown evidence of a increased rate of young people suffering from anorexia nervosa. According to the results obtained, the vast majority of the number of affected corresponds to the female sex, being especially prevalent in the 15 years.

These findings have focused on the growing trend of the disease, highlighting the need to offer specialized professionals who have the best training in Psychology.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a distorted perception of your physique, as well as fear of gaining weight. Those who suffer from this disease maintain excessive control over their diet, restricting their food intake to continue losing weight.

That is why they are especially thin people, seriously affecting their health.

Researchers and scientists have held disparate positions about the trend of this disorder. Some argue that incidence rates have grown disproportionately, while others suggest that the number of affected has remained stable since the 1970s.

However, this recent study, developed by scientists from the United Kingdom, contradicts the most skeptical specialists, showing a clear increase in the percentage of people suffering from this disease.

A gender gap

The study took as a sample young people between the ages of 8 and 17, with the aim of knowing the incidence rate of the disease in this age range. Over a period of 8 months, the participants had to fill in monthly reports that would later be analyzed by the researchers..

To quantify the number of affected individuals, any person who met at least one of the following symptoms was taken into account, indicating the number of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants:

• Distorted perception of your weight
• Fear of weight gain
• Low body weight
• Behaviors that interfere with and prevent weight gain

According to the data the researchers have obtained, 91% of the new cases that were identified were women. In fact, the incidence rate for the female gender is 26 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the case of men it corresponds to 2 per 100,000.

These results show a clear numerical inequality between the sexes. In fact, the first documented case of anorexia, collected at the beginning of the 19th century, corresponds to a woman, Josefa de la Torre, who spent the last 34 years of her life feeding only on the wafers she received from the priest.

Young people, potential victims

Similarly, there are also significant differences between men and women in relation to the age at which the incidence rate reaches its peak. In the case of males, it occurs at age 16, while in females at 15.

In Spain, the prevalence rate of this type of eating disorder is between 11 and 16% in the adolescent population, from 12 to 21 years old.

Experts usually place the age of onset of anorexia nervosa at 13 years. However, the results obtained in the research show a worrying trend, with an increase in the number of cases of anorexia in young people under 12 years of age.

These data are in line with research from other European countries suggesting that the age of onset of anorexia nervosa may be decreasing. Currently, lifestyle and eating habits are favoring the prevalence of this type of disorder, even in less developed countries.

A question of race?

Eating disorders affect people of all races and ethnicities, as is associated with psychosocial impairment. However, research has found that 92% of new cases of anorexia identified correspond to white patients. This finding is consistent with other previous studies on the disease.

On the other hand, anorexia is a disease that increases considerably in more developed societies. The beauty standards of the first world countries seem to be affecting the mental health of individuals in a worrying way, especially adolescents, whose population group is more susceptible to suffering from this type of disorder.

While it is true that a single investigation is not enough to make a weighty scientific statement, the reality is that the results obtained by this together with those of other relevant studies on the subject point to a worrying trend.

Therefore, it is essential that, if you detect any of the symptoms of anorexia in children or adolescents, you go to a specialist as soon as possible..