| Home > Site Map > Conditions > B > Bulimic tendency |
| Eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa (to which bulimia is closely related) are on the increase in Western society: it is estimated that 18-25% of college women have one or both of these problems. The typical patient is white and female (males account for only 5% of patients), and comes from a middle or upper class family. Bulimia is rare in lower socio-economic persons and in Blacks and Orientals. Many bulimics are subclinically malnourished. Individuals have improved when specific nutrient deficiencies were detected and treated. Among people with eating disorders, bulimics report the highest prevalence of anger attacks. Prognosis The prognosis for bulimia is worse than that of anorexia nervosa because the associated mental/emotional problems tend to be more severe. Other causes of a higher mortality rate include the consequences of chronic vomiting: aspiration pneumonia, gastric or esophageal rupture, acute gastric dilation, tooth decay and pancreatitis. The patients least likely to respond to treatment are those who have other psychiatric disorders, especially alcoholism. |
| Multiple Mineral Supplementation Multiple Vitamin Supplement Zinc |