Eating Disorder

BULIMIA NERVOSA. An eating disorder which the sufferer, bulimic, has a weird eating habit. According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV TR) published by the American Psychiatric Association, some of the criterias for diagnosing a bulimic are;
- eating in a large amount of food out of control, and followed by self-induced vomiting to prevent weight gain.
- may occur once in a few months, or in some serious cases, after every meal, on a daily basis.
- a purging type bulimic self-induce vomiting, usually by triggering the gag reflex to rapidly remove the food before it can be digested.
- a non-purging type bulimic (approximately 6% - 8% of cases) exercise or fast excessively after a large meal to offset the caloric intake after eating.
- the onset of bulimia nervosa is often during adolescence (13 - 20) and many cases have previously suffered obesity, with many sufferers relapsing in adulthood into episodic binging and purging even after initially successful treatment and remission.
- can be difficult to detect, compared to anorexia nervosa, because many bulimics tend to be of average weight, or slightly above or below average weight.
- often occurs on female, high school or university students.

EFFECTS
- Chronic gastric reflux after eating
- Dehydration and hypokalemia caused by frequent vomiting
- Electrolyte imbalance, which can lead to cardiac arrythmia, cardiac arrest, and even death
- Esophagitis (inflammation of esophagus)
- Oral trauma, in which repetitive insertion of fingers or other objects causes lacerations to the lining of mouth and throat
- Gastroparesis (delayed emptying)
- Constipation
- Enlarged glands in neck, under the jaw line
- Peptic ulcers
- Calluses or scars on the back of hands due to repeated trauma from incisors
- Constant weight fluctuations
The frequent contact between teeth and gastric acid, in particular, may cause;
- Severe caries
- Perimolysis (erosion of tooth enamel)
- Swollen salivary glands
- also has negative effect on dental health, due to the acid passed through the mouth from frequent vomiting causing acid erosion, mainly on the posterior dental surface.

(Edited from "Bulimia nervosa, Wikipedia")