Fight Anorexia

Saw this on the news tonight. Isabelle Carro, a 27-year old anorexic posing for the latest ad campaign of Nolita. Anorexia nervosa is actually a psychiatric disorder characterized by abnormal eating behavior, severe self-induced weight loss, and a specific psychopathology. It occurs in 0.2% to 1.3% of the general population. Participation in activities that promote thinness like modeling and athletics are associated with a higher incidence of anorexia nervosa. Female:male ratio is 9:1 Adolescence to young adulthood is the predominant age. Patients with moderate to sever anorexia have the following physical characteristics: Patient is ematiated and bundled in clothing. Skin is dry and has excessive growth of lanugo. Skin may also be yellow-tinged from carotenodermia. Brittle nails, thinning scalp hair are present. Bradycardia, hypotension, hypothermia, and bradypnea are common. Female fat distribution pattern is no longer evident. Axillary and pubic hair are preserved. Peripheral edema may be present. To be diagnosed as having anorexia nervosa, according to the DSM-IV-TR, a person must display: 1. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g., weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected; or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected). 2. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. 3. Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight. 4. In postmenarcheal, premenopausal females (women who have had their first menstrual period but have not yet gone through menopause), amenorrhea (the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles). 5. Or other eating related disorders.