Anorexia can result in very serious health problems. Some of those health problems include:
- Dizziness and fainting
- Stunted growth
- Anemia
- Heart abnormalities including an irregular heartbeat
- Kidney problems
- Changes in brain function
- Weak bones
Approximately 1 in every 10 cases of anorexia will result in death. This is usually the result of:
- Cardiac arrest
- Suicide
- Imbalance of electrolytes
Signs of Binge Eating
Binge eating is similar to bulimia in that a child will compulsively eat an excessive amount of food, but the child does not purge. This can result in a child becoming overweight or obese. Not all children who are overweight are binge eaters. Binge eating, or compulsive overeating, is when a child develops an unhealthy relationship with food and consumes large amounts of food quickly and uncontrollably, way past the point of feeling comfortably full.
Binge eating is the most common eating disorder that children develop.