Anorexia and obesity – two sides to one story essay sample

Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are referred to as eating disorders because dietary habits of patients certainly stand out of normal food consumption patterns. Obese people, on the other hand, do not manifest troublesome eating habits. They may consume larger portions of food, but they eat rather regularly and enjoy their meals. Nevertheless, obesity is just as unfortunate as anorexia, because in both cases, eaters lose control over their body. Just like anorexia, obesity often results from one’s personal choices and preferences. But unlike eating disorders, obesity is neither a habit nor a flaw. It is a consequence of unhealthy eating rituals or an impaired metabolism. Eating disorders that do not involve starvation or purging may also result in obesity, which makes the two notions tightly connected.

There is always either a metabolic or behavioral factor that triggers obesity and makes the person obsessed. Some obese people immediately turn to dieting while the others are rather indifferent about their body weight. Therefore, obesity may be a cause and a consequence of some eating disorder.

It does not matter whether the patient overeats or starves; we shall look for the reason of their nutritional abnormality in the first place. People struggling with the obesity tend to have slowed metabolism or some physical condition. A range of diseases, including diabetes, may cause people gain weight. But the reason may be hidden in one’s emotional health as well. While anorexic people starve to conform with a popular image, obese people overeat to cope with major stressors.