Eating Disorders Prey on Girls - Girls Living with Eating Disorders

Written by Kevin Darst

"I would not wish what I went through on my worst enemy," she said. "It was unhealthy, disgusting, and it was dragging me down."

Radovich, a health and exercise science major who wants to be a physical therapist, is a certified personal trainer at the CSU recreation center, where she sees many students going down the same road she traveled.

"If I wasn't as confident with who I am and where I've been, it would be really difficult (to work there) because it's all around you," Radovich said. "I feel like I can help."

Her hope is that she can be a resource for people stuck in the same cycle she fell into.

"What they think is helping them is hurting them."

Radovich will tell her story March 3 during Eating Disorder Awareness Month at CSU, another step in recovery and another chance to stop the spread of eating disorders.

Eating disorders and characteristics

ANOREXIA NERVOSA Description: Severe weight loss, fear of fatness, distorted body image, body image overemphasized in self-evaluation, loss of period.Characteristics: Emaciated look, physically active, profound weight loss, loss of menstrual period, body image distortion, fear of weight gain Medical complications: General health, cardiovascular compromise, osteoporosis, metabolic slowdown, multiple organ compromise, suicide In adolescence, growth retardation, delay of puberty, peak bone mass reduction Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder, as high as 20 percent. Death can occur after severe binging in bulimia nervosa as well. 

BULIMIA NERVOSA Description: Binging with a sense of loss of control followed by vomiting, laxative abuse, diuretics, extreme fasting or extreme exercise at least twice a week, body image overemphasized in self-evaluation. Sometimes food will be chewed then spit out.Characteristics: Individual "looks normal," binging and purging behaviors, individual overly concerned about body, secretive Medical complications: dehydration, heart problems, electrolyte disturbances, gastrointestinal problems.

BINGE EATING Characteristics: More prevalent: half of all clients of diet clinics are binge eaters, represented across all ages, equally represented between sexes, associated with problems of obesity Medical complications: cardiovascular, diabetes, musculoskeletal, infectious disease. 

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