CHECKLIST FOR VISIBLE CHARACTERISTICS OF ANOREXIA
Behavioral Signs
____Signs of restricted eating (usually low intake of food) such as severe diets or fasting
____Odd food rituals counting bites of food, cutting food into tiny pieces, or preparing
food for others while refusing to eat
____Intense fear of becoming fat, regardless of weight
____Fear of food and situations where food may be present
____Rigid exercise regimens
____Dressing in layers to hide weight loss
____Binging
____Use of laxatives, enemas, or diuretics to get rid of food, over-exercising
Physiological Signs
____Weight loss (often in a short period of time)
____Paleness
____Complaints of feeling cold
____Dizziness and fainting spells
____Loss of menstruation without physiological cause
Attitudinal Signs
____Mood shifts
____Perfectionistic attitude
____Insecurities about performance and capabilities
____Feelings of self-worth are increasingly linked to what is or is not eaten
____Withdrawal from people
____Cognitive Rigidity
____Difficulty adapting/flexing
CHECKLIST FOR VISIBLE CHARACTERISTICS OF BULIMIA
Behavioral Signs
____Binging
____Secretive eating, evidenced by missing food
____Preoccupation with and constant talk about food and/or weight
____The avoidance of restaurants, planned meals, or social events if food is present
____Self-disparagement when too much has been eaten
____Bathroom visits after meals
____Vomiting, laxative abuse or fasting
____The use of diet pills
____Rigid and harsh exercise regimes
____Fear of being fat, regardless of weight
Physiological Signs
____Swollen glands, puffiness in the cheeks, or broken blood vessels under the eyes
____Complaints of sore throat
____Unexplained tooth decay
____Frequent weight fluctuations, often within a 10-15 pound range
Attitudinal Signs
____Frequent and intense mood shifts that include depression, sadness, guilt, and self-hate
____Severe self-criticism
____The need for approval to feel good about self
____Self-worth determined by weight
____Self-worth focused on how one looks instead of what one does/accomplishes or feels
CHECKLIST FOR CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPULSIVE OVEREATING
Behavioral Signs
____Binging
____Restriction of activities because of embarrassment about weight
____Going from one diet to the next
____Eating little in public while maintaining a high weight
Physiological Signs
____Weight-related hypertension of fatigue
____Weight gain
Attitudinal Signs
____Feelings about self based on weight and control of eating
____Fantasizing about being a better person when thin
____Feeling tormented by eating habits
____Social and professional failures attributed to weight
____ Weight is the focus of life
EATING DISORDERS: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
A Person With Anorexia…
- Is thin and continues to get thinner
- Diets even though not overweight
- Has a distorted body image – feels fat even when thin
- Loses or experiences thinning hair
- Talks excessively about food, cooking, or dieting
A Person With Bulimia…
- Engages in binge eating
- Uses the bathroom frequently after meals
- Reacts to stress by overeating
- Experiences frequent fluctuations in weight
- Has depressive moods
A Person With A Binge Eating Disorder…
- Eats large amounts of food when not physically hungry
- Eats rapidly
- Eats to the point of feeling uncomfortably full
- Often eats alone because of shame or embarrassment
- Has a history of marked weight fluctuations
TIPS FOR PARENTS
DO
- Examine your own beliefs and behavior related to body image and weight and consider how your children might interpret the message they get from you
- Encourage healthy eating and exercise
- Allow your child to determine when he/she is full
- Talk about the variety of different body types and the fact that they can all be acceptable and healthy
- Discuss the danger of dieting
- Tell your child you love him/her for what is inside, not because of how he/she looks
DON’T
- Label foods as “good” or “bad”
- Use food for rewards or punishments
- Diet or encourage your child to diet
- Comment on weight or body types: yours, your child’s or any one else’s
- Allow teasing or making fun of anyone based on physical characteristics including size