Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a condition which affects the way people see themselves. Anorexia nervosa is essentially:

• a severe restriction of food intake
• a loss of body weight to an unhealthy level
• a loss of menstrual periods in females
• an intense fear of getting fat and/or losing control of eating
• often a disturbed body image—still regarding self as fat despite being underweight.

Symptoms and characteristics

Possible symptoms and characteristics of anorexia nervosa include:

• faintness, dizziness and fatigue
• increased mood changes and irritability
• social withdrawal or isolation
• anxiety or depression related symptoms
• increased interest in preparing food for others
• obsessive rituals for example, only drinking out of a certain cup
• wearing baggy clothes or change in clothing style
• excessive or fluctuating exercise patterns
• avoidance of social situations involving food
• making frequent excuses not to eat
• slow eating or eating with teaspoons
• hoarding food
• rearranging food on a plate

Statistics

After obesity and asthma, anorexia nervosa is the most common disease in females aged 15 to 24. It is estimated that in Australia 2 to 3 per cent of adolescent and adult females satisfy the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. 10 per cent of young adults diagnosed with anorexia nervosa are male. The average duration of anorexia nervosa is five years (The Butterfly Foundation 2007).

Workplace adjustments and solutions

There are adjustments and solutions for the following job requirements:

• dealing with stress and psychological demands

References

Better Heath Channel 2007, Eating disorders, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 24 February 2007, <http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Eatingdisorders?open>.

Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria 2006, , Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria, Glen Iris, viewed 24 February 2007, <http://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/component/option,com_weblinks/catid,77/Itemid,96/>.

The Butterfly Foundation 2007, The Need The Alarming Statistics and Trends, The Butterfly Foundation, Melbourne, viewed 24 February 2007, <http://www.thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/what_we_do/the_need>.