Definition
Body image occupies a prominent place in our society and can easily become an obsession. At any given time, 70% of women and 35% of men are on some diet or another. When does a certain eating behaviour become an eating disorder? Understanding these illnesses and their causes is essential in preventing and treating those affected and helping them adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Eating disorders are complex illnesses characterized by an intense preoccupation with food, weight and body image, by abnormal and often dangerous eating behaviours (systematic refusal to eat, induced vomiting) and by the co-existence of potentially serious problems (depression, anxiety, alcohol or drug abuse). Eating disorders go well beyond simply being an out-of-control diet.
Eating disorders are complex illnesses characterized by an intense preoccupation with food, weight and body image, by abnormal and often dangerous eating behaviours (systematic refusal to eat, induced vomiting) and by the co-existence of potentially serious problems (depression, anxiety, alcohol or drug abuse). Eating disorders go well beyond simply being an out-of-control diet.