Professional paper
EATING DISORDERS
Nikolina Pranić
; Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences, Trg Eugena Kvaternika 4, 43000 Bjelovar, Croatia
Aleksandra Žigić Forić
; Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences, Trg Eugena Kvaternika 4, 43000 Bjelovar, Croatia
Ivan Pokec
; Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences, Trg Eugena Kvaternika 4, 43000 Bjelovar, Croatia
Zrinka Puharić
; Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences, Trg Eugena Kvaternika 4, 43000 Bjelovar, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Eating disorders imply a permanently disturbed relationship to body and food, which causes the destruction of an individual's mental and physical health, as well as dysfunctional social and family relationships. Anorexia and bulimia nervosa are the most common eating disorders. Their chronic form is also the most severe form of the disease. The hallmarks of anorexia nervosa are starvation, aversion to one's own appearance and maintaining a normal body weight, and the hallmarks of bulimia nervosa are the intake of excessive amounts of food combined with compensatory mechanisms, such as vomiting, excessive exercise, and the use of laxatives. Compulsive overeating is a serious and debilitating disorder when a person consumes enormous amounts of food in a short period of time, accompanied by a sense of loss of control. The exact cause of its occurrence is not fully known, although eating disorders have been discussed and researched since historical times. It is considered that they arise as a combination of psychological, social and biological factors. These include emotional instability, genetics, personality disorders, social and family pressure. Despite the fact that the female sex (ages 10-30) is mostly affected, the diseases are increasingly present in the male population as well. It is known that in only 30% of cases, sufferers decide to seek professional help. The process of patient health care includes the approach of discovering and solving the patient's problems in the field of health care. Working with patients with eating disorders requires theoretical and practical knowledge, therapeutic communication and continuous education in order to improve health status, change negative health behaviors and increase the quality of life of the affected person which include multidisciplinary team (doctors, nurses, nutricionists, psychologist, psychiatrist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist).
Keywords
eating disorders; anorexia; bulimia; compulsive overeating; nurse/technician; nutricionists
Hrčak ID:
314495
URI
Publication date:
21.2.2024.
Visits: 2.086 *