Early Warning Signs of Anorexia Nervosa

This article talks about some of the early warning signs of anorexia nervosa, a life-threatening eating disorder condition if not treated properly.

Anorexia nervosa is a type of eating disorder that is characterised by unhealthy diet control and fear of gaining weight. According to the Eating Disorders Information Sheet published by Public Health Service’s Office in Women’s Health (2000), anorexia nervosa is the third most common illness among adolescents. Some commonly known warning signs such as abnormal weight loss and absence of menstruation in girls and women are usually observed only after the patient has been suffering from anorexia for a while. In fact, if you are able to spot some of the very early signs of anorexia for yourself or people you know, there is a much higher chance of preventing the onslaught of this potentially life-threating condition. This article intends to shed some lights on some of the very early possible signs of anorexia.

Forever Counting Calories

We have all become a bit more health-conscious in this modern world and the nutrition facts labels on most packaged food sold in supermarkets and some restaurant menus have helped us a great deal in choosing the right type of food. The amount of calories, proportion of protein and fats etc. are useful information for anyone who wants to have a balanced diet and stay healthy. However, finding yourself continually scrutinising those labels and engaging in mental counting of the calories of the food that you have consumed can be a very early warning sign of anorexia nervosa. You need to watch out if you find yourself/your friends deliberately choosing the lowest calorie food on a food shelf, or always trying to reduce the calorie intake after having a relatively bigger meal, with an aim to minimise the overall intake of calories for the day.

Vigorous/Excessive exercise

Exercise is beneficial for your health, but overdoing it can be a dangerous sign. Most people who suffer from anorexia would engage in a vigorous or even compulsive exercise routine in an attempt to lose weight even more quickly. They might work out for one or two hours per day at the beginning but would gradually increase the amount of time spending on exercising. They would not give themselves a break from the exercise routine and would usually intentionally increase the number of hours on working out on a single day if they have had eaten food with higher calorie content. Working out every day becomes one of their top priorities, which might result in their shunning family and social lives. In short, their engagement in physical activities is not for health benefits, but solely for ‘improving’ their body shapes and controlling weight.

Estrangement from Family and Friends

Most anorexia sufferers would avoid eating with others, as they are in fear of being under constant observation and scrutiny on what they have eaten (in fact usually the family and friends of these sufferers would not have spotted anything abnormal and would not have closely observed what these sufferers eat at this early stage). As a result, they would try to estrange from family and friends at meal times, resort to eating in isolation whenever possible, and might sometimes lie to others about what they have eaten. For example, they might tell others that they have just happily consumed a dish of yummy fried seafood noodles, when in fact they have only had two slices of ham. Avoiding associations with family and friends also means they would not be forced to eat fatty snacks such as sweets, cakes, and chocolates, which are common offerings at parties.

Eating Patterns at Social Settings

Though anorexia sufferers would try to stay away from others, sometimes it is unavoidable that they need to eat out with family and friends. If that happens, they might continue trying to limit the amount of food intake by eating as slowly as possible and portioning food very carefully. The low-fat sandwich they have ordered might look tiny anyway, but they might still cut it up into small pieces and slow down the whole eating process. If they fail to get a low-fat or small meal at the time, they would try to skip the following meal(s) in order to have complete control over the amount of food intake.

If you sense that yourself or people around you are exhibiting some of the signs mentioned in this article, it is best that you keep an eye out or seek help before it becomes too late.

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