Tag: Eating disorder

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, anorexia nervosa carries the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. Understanding **how to help someone that refuses to eat** is therefore a critical and potentially life-saving skill that requires a compassionate, informed, and patient approach.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly half of all deaths among children under 5 are linked to undernutrition. Nutritional recovery is the structured process of restoring an individual's nutritional status to normal levels after a period of deficiency, illness, or physical stress.

According to a meta-analysis involving thousands of individuals, people with pica were 2.4 times more likely to have anemia compared to those without the disorder. This strong association highlights the critical link: can pica indicate a nutrient deficiency? For many, especially pregnant women and children, it is a significant symptom pointing toward a medical issue like a mineral deficiency.

According to nutritionists, liquid calories are often less satiating than solid foods, meaning you could consume far more calories without feeling full. This phenomenon is central to understanding what happens if you drink more than you eat, as it can trigger a cascade of negative health consequences.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a serious eating disorder characterized by a persistent failure to meet nutritional needs. Diagnosing ARFID requires a comprehensive and careful assessment process involving a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals to differentiate it from typical picky eating and other conditions.

While many children experience a phase of picky eating, an estimated 0.5% to 5% of the population struggles with a more severe, persistent form. This condition, which goes far beyond typical fussiness, is formally known as Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, or ARFID. It is often what people are referring to when they ask, 'What is it called when you are an extremely picky eater?'

At the age of 11, Greta Thunberg experienced a period of severe depression that caused her to stop eating and speaking, losing 10 kilograms in just two months. This was revealed by her mother, Malena Ernman, in the family's book, detailing the profound connection between Thunberg's distress over the climate crisis and her mental health struggles.

Studies suggest that pica, the compulsive eating of non-food items, affects a significant number of people, including up to 80% of pregnant women at some level. For those who specifically experience a desire to consume ash, it is a serious symptom that begs the question: what does it mean if you crave ash, and what should you do about it?

According to a meta-analysis, individuals who report pica, the eating of non-nutritive substances, are 2.35 times more likely to also be anemic. A craving for soil, or geophagia, is a specific form of pica, and its origins are surprisingly complex, spanning physiological and psychological factors.

Studies have shown that over 70% of women who experience absent periods linked to weight loss or psychological stress can recover with appropriate changes. Many people wonder, 'Can I miss a period from eating too little?' The answer is a definitive yes, and it is a common condition known as hypothalamic amenorrhea.