Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Binge eating disorder is a mental illness that is characterized by
recurring episodes of binge eating without efforts of the individual with this
illness trying to control their weight by undoing the binge episodes by purging,
excessively exercising, and/or inappropriately using medications like laxatives
or diet pills.
Binge eating disorder affects about 3.5% of women and 2% of men
over the course of a lifetime, with most developing the condition during
adolescence or early adulthood.
About one-third of individuals with binge
eating disorder are males. There seems to be no difference in how often binge
eating disorder occurs based on ethnic group.
About 65% of people with binge
eating disorder are obese (20% overweight or more), with even more being
generally overweight.
Individuals who develop binge eating disorder are at
higher risk of also having another psychiatric illness.
Binge eating disorder
tends to persist for more than 14 years, with only 7% resolving after the first
year of having the illness.
As with most other mental disorders, there is no
one specific cause for binge eating disorder. Rather, it is the result of a
complex group of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors.
People
with this illness tend to lose weight from adopting a low-calorie diet and some
will regain weight in the long term. Medications that have been found to be
effective in reducing the number and amount of binge episodes in binge eating
disorder include topiramate (Topamax), serotonergic (SSRI) medications, and sibutramine (Meridia).
While
psychotherapy alone does not tend to result in long-term weight loss in
individuals with binge eating disorder, it can be a key component of the
treatment of the emotional problems that are often associated with this
disorder.
People with binge eating disorder seem to be at higher risk of
developing high blood pressure, type II diabetes, and abnormal cholesterol levels
compared to similar-weight individuals without this eating disorder.
Binge
eating disorder seems to persist for more than 14 years, with only 7% resolving
after the first year of having the illness.
Teaching teens and adults about
resisting societal pressure toward thinness, understanding what determines body
weight, the negative effects of eating disorders, and encouraging good self-esteem, stress management, healthy weight control, and acceptance of their bodies
have been found to be helpful in the prevention of eating disorders.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a repeatedly
elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg -- a systolic pressure above
140 with a diastolic pressure above 90. There are two causes of high blood pressure, primary and secondary. Primary high blood pressure is much more common that secondary and its basic causes or underlying defects are not always known. It is known that a diet high in salt increases the risk for high blood pressure, as well as high cholesterol. Genetic factors are also a primary cause. Secondary high blood pressure is generally caused by another condition such as renal hypertension, tumors, and other conditions. Treatment for high blood pressure is generally lifestyle changes and if necessary, diet.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type 1 (insulin dependent) and type 2 (non-insulin dependent). Symptoms of diabetes include increased urine output, thirst, hunger, and fatigue. Treatment of diabetes depends on the type.
Cholesterol is naturally produced by the body, and is a building block for cell membranes and hormones. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol, conversely, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol. High cholesterol treatment includes lifestyle changes (diet and exercise), and medications such as statins, bile acid resins, and fibric acid derivatives.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by markedly reduced appetite or total aversion to food. Anorexia is a serious psychological disorder and is a condition that goes well beyond out-of-control dieting. With anorexia, the drive to become thinner is actually secondary to concerns about control and/or fears relating to one's body. There are psychological and behavioral symptoms as well as physical symptoms of anorexia including: depression, social withdrawal, fatigue, food obsession, heart and gastrointestinal complications, kidney function, flaky skin, brittle nails, and tooth loss (this list is not exhaustive).
Obesity is the state of being well above one's normal weight. A person has traditionally been
considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight.
That ideal weight must take into account the person's height, age, sex, and
build.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that causes a person to suffer repeated obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms include irresistible impulses despite a person's realization that the thoughts are irrational, excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking, or repeatedly rearranging items. People with OCD are more likely to develop trichotillomania, muscle or vocal tics, or an eating disorder. Treatment for OCD includes psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and medication.
Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of secretive excessive eating (bingeing) followed by inappropriate methods of weight control, such as self-induced vomiting (purging), abuse of laxatives and diuretics, or excessive exercise. Purging and nonpurging are the two types of bulimia. There are five basic criteria in the diagnosis of bulimia.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
High blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension means high pressure (tension) in the arteries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the pumping heart to all the tissues and organs of the body. High blood pressure does not mean excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can temporarily increase blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80; blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is called "pre-hypertension", and a blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered high.
The top number, the systolic blood pressure, corresponds to the pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts and pumps blood forward into the arteries. The bottom number, the diastolic pressure, represents the pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes after the contraction. The diastolic pressure reflects the lowest pressure to which the arteries are exposed.
An elevation of the systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure increas...
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