Eating disorders on the rise!

A new review led by researchers of University of Michigan found eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulima are on the rise in U.S. children and adolescents.  An analysis reported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found eating disorders sent 119 percent more children under 12 to hospitals in 2006 than 1999.  This number is disturbing because these are children under the age of 12, and the problem only gets worse for the percentage of teens and young adults! The fact that 86% of women surveyed on a college campus report onset of an eating disorder by age 20 and 43% report onset between ages 16 and 20 shows how large of a problem this really is.  The number is also growing for men with an estimated 10-15% of people with anorexia or bulimia being male.  I personally have known a distrubingly large number of friends who have suffered and are still suffering with an eating disorder and it is a problem they were struggle with for the rest of their lives.  I think this is a subject that needs to get more attention and that parents and friends should be on the look out for.  Eating disorders can lead to so many side effects and I had a friend that needed to be hospitalized because her disorder became so bad.  For women, 20% suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complicatoins related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.  This is a serious disorder and I think it needs to be discussed more often in schools throughout all grades.  If you want to learn more facts you can go to national association for anorexia nervosa and associated disorders.