Mental Health and Growing
Up Factsheet
Eating disorders in young people: information for parents,
carers and anyone who works with young people
About this factsheet
This is one in a series of factsheets for
parents, teachers and young people entitled Mental Health and
Growing Up. The aims of these factsheets are to provide
practical, up-to-date information about 
mental health problems (emotional,
behavioural and psychiatric disorders) that can affect children and
young people. This factsheet discusses the causes of eating
disorders and how to recognise them, as well as giving advice on
how to cope with a child who has an eating disorder.
Introduction
Worries about weight, shape and eating are
common, especially among young girls. Being very overweight or
obese can cause a lot of problems, particularly with health. Quite
often, someone who is overweight can lose weight simply by eating
more healthily. It sounds easy, but help may be needed to find a
way of doing this.
What are eating disorders?
A lot of young people, many of whom are not
overweight in the first place, want to be thinner. They often try
to lose weight by dieting or skipping meals. For some, worries
about weight become an obsession. This can turn into a serious
eating disorder. This factsheet is about the most common eating
disorders – anorexia nervosa and bulimia
nervosa.
- Someone with anorexia
nervosa worries all the time about being fat (even if they
are skinny) and eats very little. They lose a lot of weight and
their periods become irregular or stop.
- Someone with bulimia
nervosa also worries a lot about weight. They alternate
between eating next to nothing, and then having binges when they
gorge themselves. They vomit or take laxatives to control their
weight.
Both of these eating disorders are more common
in girls, but do occur in boys. They can happen in young people of
all backgrounds and cultures.
What are the signs of anorexia or
bulimia?
You may notice some or most of the below
signs:
- weight loss or unusual weight
changes
- periods being irregular or
stopping
- missing meals, eating very
little and avoiding ‘fattening’ foods
- avoiding eating in public,
secret eating
- large amounts of food
disappearing from the cupboards
- believing they are fat when
underweight
- exercising excessively,
often in secret
- becoming preoccupied with
food, cooking for other people, calorie counting and setting target
weights
- going to the bathroom or
toilet immediately after meals
- using laxatives and vomiting
to control weight or sometimes other medications/herbal remedies to
lose weight.
It may be difficult for parents or teachers to
tell the difference between ordinary dieting in young people and a
more serious problem. If you are concerned about your child’s
weight and how they are eating, consult your GP. You can also seek
help and advice from other agencies.
What effects can eating disorders have?
Person with this condition can have physical
and emotional problems. Some of these include:
- feeling excessively cold
- headaches and dizziness
- changes in hair and
skin
- tiredness and difficulty
with normal activities
- damage to health, including
stunting of growth and damage to bones and internal organs
- loss of periods and risk of
infertility
- anxiety and depression
- poor concentration, missing
school, college or work
- lack of confidence,
withdrawal from friends
- dependency or over-involvement
with parents, instead of developing independence.
It’s important to remember that, if allowed to
continue unchecked, both anorexia and bulimia can be
life-threatening conditions. Over time, they are harder to treat,
and the effects become more serious.
What causes eating disorders?
Eating disorders are caused by a number of
different things:
- Worry or stress may lead to
comfort eating. This may cause worries about getting fat.
- Dieting and missing meals
leads to craving for food, loss of control and over-eating.
- Anorexia or bulimia can
develop as a complication of more extreme dieting, perhaps
triggered by an upsetting event, such as family break-down, death
or separation in the family, bullying at school or abuse.
- Sometimes, anorexia and
bulimia may be a way of trying to feel in control if life feels
stressful.
- More ordinary events, such
as the loss of a friend, a teasing remark or school exams, may also
be the trigger in a vulnerable person.
Who can develop an eating disorder?
Some of the factors which increase the
likelihood of having an eating disorder include:
- being female
- being previously
overweight
- lacking self-esteem
- being perfectionist.
Obsessional behaviour is often seen in young
people with eating disorders.
Some people are more at risk than others.
Sensitive or anxious individuals, who are having difficulty
becoming independent from their families, are also more at risk.
Eating disorders can also run in families. The families of young
people with eating disorders often find change or conflict
particularly difficult, and may be unusually close or
over-protective.
Where can I get help?
If you think a young person may be developing
an eating disorder, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are worried
about themselves. Quite often young people with eating disorders
are unable to acknowledge there may be a problem, and will not want
you to interfere and may become angry or upset.
However, you may still be worried and you can
seek advice from professionals in different agencies e.g. your GP
or a paediatrician. It is important that you feel supported and not
alone.
What can I do to help?
These simple suggestions are useful to help
young people to maintain a healthy weight and avoid eating
disorders.
- Ensure your child eats
regular meals. The British Dietetic Association
recommends eating regularly throughout the day which usually means
three main meals and three nutritious snacks in between such as
fruit, yogurt or nuts. Too many sugary or high fat snacks should be
avoided.
- Try to give a ‘balanced’
diet – one that contains all the types of food your body needs,
including carbohydrate foods such as bread, rice, pasta or cereals
with every meal.
- Don’t let them miss meals –
long gaps encourage overeating.
- Encourage regular
exercise.
- Educate your child not to be
influenced by other people skipping meals or commenting on
weight.
When professional help is needed?
When eating problems make family meals
stressful, it is important to seek professional advice. Your GP
will be able to advise you about what specialist help is available
locally and will be able to arrange a referral.Help may be
available through the paedatrician, dietician or your local child
and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS).
If the eating disorder causes physical ill
health, it is essential to get medical help quickly. If untreated,
there is a risk of infertility, thin bones (osteoporosis), stunted
growth and even death, but if treated, most young people get
better.
Further information
B-eat (beating eating
disorders)
Helpline 0845 634 1414; Youthline 0845 634
7650.
YoungMinds
Provides information and advice on child
mental health issue and a Parents'Helpline:0800 802 5544
King’s College London
Website with up to date information on eating
and various other disorders.
Further reading
Anorexia Nervosa: a survival guide for
families, friends and sufferers by Janet Treasure.
R. L Palmer, Anorexia Nervosa: A Guide for
Sufferers and Their Families.
National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence:
Eating disorders: information for the public.
References
Rutter’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
Fifth Edition (2008). Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.
National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence: Guideline (2004) Core Interventions in the treatment
and management of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and related
eating disorders.
- Revised by the Royal College of
Psychiatrists’ Child and Family Public Education Editorial
Board.
- Series Editor: Dr Vasu Balaguru
This leaflet reflects the best possible
evidence at the time of writing.
© March 2012. Due for review March 2014. Royal College
of Psychiatrists. This leaflet may be downloaded, printed out,
photocopied and distributed free of charge as long as the Royal
College of Psychiatrists is properly credited and no profit is
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