February 23 through March 1 is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. A combined 30 million men and woman will suffer from a significant eating disorder at some point in their life, according the National Eating Disorder Association.
The most commonly known eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia.
Mercy Hospital in Portland runs the New England Eating Disorders Program. According to the doctors there, eating disorders affect a person’s mental health as well as physical health. In the case of anorexia, there can be serious medical effects.
“Extreme weight loss could mean all the cells are depleted and you may have loss of your white and red blood cells to fight infection or keep the oxygenation going,” Dr. Patrice Lockhart told WMTW News 8. Lockhart also said anorexia can shrink the actual size of the brain and decrease brain function.
Although extreme thinness may be a sign of an eating disorder, Lockhart said not everyone suffering from an eating disorder is actually underweight.