Body Dysmorphic Disorder Dieting Linked to More Suicide Attempts

By Rick Nauert, PhD Senior News Editor

Body Dysmorphic Disorder Dieting Linked to More Suicide AttemptsExcessive dieting is associated with an increase in suicide attempts in people with body dysmorphic disorder, a new study finds.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a dangerous condition characterized by excessive concern and preoccupation with how one’s body looks. People with BDD genuinely believe their bodies are flawed.

BDD is a common, often severe, and under-recognized body image disorder. People with BDD experience distressing or impairing preoccupations with perceived flaws in their appearance and are obsessed with the belief that something is wrong with how they look, when in reality they look normal.

More than 75 percent of people with BDD feel life is not worth living or think about suicide in their lifetime, and approximately 25 percent have a history of a suicide attempt.

Researchers from Rhode Island Hospital and Auburn University examined the association of suicide attempts with physically painful BDD-related behaviors, including restrictive food intake, excessive exercise, BDD-related cosmetic surgery, compulsive skin picking and physical self-mutilation.

The study found that BDD-related restrictive food intake was associated with more than double the number of suicide attempts, but was not associated with suicidal ideas; and that those with a history of BDD-related excessive exercise had less than half the number of suicide attempts as those without such a history.

The study also found that none of the other variables indicating exposure to painful and provocative experiences, such as BDD-related cosmetic surgery and compulsive skin picking, were significant predictors of suicide attempts.

Researchers focused their study on the acquired capability of suicide. The concept is based on the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide and is comprised of physical pain tolerance and lowered fear of death.

The paper is published in the journal Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.

Because restriction of food intake can be physically painful, the researchers theorize that a person who is capable of enduring the physical discomfort of caloric restriction may be more capable of enduring the physical discomfort required in order to inflict self-harm.

They theorize that severe restriction of food intake that results in long-standing physical discomfort would predict capability for suicide, whereas more moderate dieting behaviors would have less of a relationship (if any). “Significantly limiting food intake can be physically painful,” says Katharine A. Phillips, M.D.

“It goes against our natural instincts to feed our bodies and respond to the physical pain that comes with extreme hunger. The results of this study suggest the importance of assessing individuals with BDD for restrictive eating behaviors to identify suicide risk, even if they have not previously been diagnosed with an eating disorder.”

During the study, researchers interviewed 200 individuals (68.5 percent women) between the ages of 14 and 64 who had a lifetime diagnosis of BDD.

The main criterion variable was the participants’ number of past suicide attempts, which ranged from 0 to 25 in the study group.

Additionally, 78 percent of the study group had a history of suicide-related ideation. The study only included examination of suicide attempts, not deaths by suicide.

“While some of the other BDD-related behaviors may seem outwardly more painful – such as undergoing repeated cosmetic procedures, or compulsive skin picking, the level of pain associated with excessive dieting could significantly increase a person’s pain tolerance,” says Elizabeth R. Didie, Ph.D.

“This study suggests that those who are capable of enduring such physical discomfort and pain from restrictive eating also may be capable of enduring the physical discomfort required to inflict self-harm.”

Source: http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/06/06/body-dysmorphic-disorder-dieting-linked-to-more-suicide-attempts/39763.html

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Sleep Less, Eat More, Gain Weight

By Carrie Gann

Obesity linked to hormonal changes, lack of sleep

We’ve all heard about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, and now scientists offer more evidence to back that up. A new study found that people who get less sleep may be inclined to eat more, move less and gain weight.

Scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., studied a group of 17 healthy volunteers between the ages 18 and 40 for a week in their homes, monitoring how much each one typically slept and ate. Then, they brought the volunteers into the clinic’s research lab for eight days: Half of the volunteers were allowed to sleep according to their usual pattern, and the other half got only two-thirds of their usual shut-eye.

All the volunteers were allowed to eat as much food as they wanted from the hospital cafeteria or from outside the research center. The researchers also measured how much energy each volunteer expended each day.

The sleep-deprived participants wolfed down an average of 549 calories beyond their usual intake but burned no more calories than their well-rested peers.

“A lot of people have this idea that if they’re up late, working hard, they’re burning more energy. But we found no change in how much they moved when sleep deprived,” said Dr. Andrew Calvin, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. “They’re consuming an additional 549 calories per day, but not burning any of them off.”

Those excess of unburned calories is a surefire way to gain weight, which numerous studies have connected to a variety of chronic health problems.

The volunteers who got less sleep also had higher levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, and lower levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, in their blood. The findings seem counterintuitive to what researchers would expect in people who are hungrier, but Calvin said the hormones were most likely an outcome, rather than a cause of people eating more.

Scientists have previously studied the physical downsides of getting too little sleep.

In 2011, Australian researchers found that adolescents and teenagers were more likely to be slimmer if they went to bed earlier, while those who stayed up late were more likely to engage in sedentary activities.

Previous studies have also found that workers covering late and overnight shifts were more likely to be obese and have type 2 diabetes, which may be associated with unhealthy eating habits, according to an editorial published in December.

The connection between sleep and weight may be important for the more than one-quarter of Americans who get six hours of sleep or less every night. Calvin said the future research on how sleep affects eating habits may give scientists useful insights into two of America’s biggest health problems: sleep deprivation and obesity.

“This study, while small, suggests that these two may indeed be linked, and if the findings are confirmed, they may suggest that sleep is a powerful factor in how much we eat and our chances of gaining weight,” he said.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/03/14/sleep-less-eat-more-gain-weight/

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Are You a Mindless Eater?

Distracted Dining, by Jon Vredenburg, MBA, CSSD, RD, LD/N

Quick – What did you have for dinner last night?

If you are like most people, uncovering that answer in your brain probably took some time. Multi-tasking has gone main stream and has blunted the overall awareness of our most fundamental activities. If you are looking to get a handle on the distractions in your life, then your nutritional health will stand to benefit.

Distracted Dining‘Distracted Dining’ can be simply defined as diverting focus from your dietary intake. The source of distraction can take many forms. It is a challenge for an individual to eat healthfully if they are not focused on the task at hand. After all, if a person is not fully aware of what they are doing – then how can they be sure if they are doing it right?

The end result for most distracted diners is an unsatisfying calorie surplus. “When our brain is distracted during eating we are unable to fully register what we are eating and how much we are eating,” states Sally Clifton, a Registered Dietitian with Shands Jacksonville’s Employee Wellness Program. “It is like multi-tasking – even though we think we can do it, we are never really able to fully devote attention to one task.”

Recent research has measured how food intake is impacted when the brain is concentrating on something else besides a fork and spoon. Researchers in Great Britain looked at how playing a computer card game during a meal influenced a person’s eating behavior. The test subjects were given a prepared lunch and then 30 minutes later were questioned about the meal and were also offered a “taste test” snack. The study showed that the distracted eaters ate twice as much during the subsequent taste test in comparison to those without the diversion. The individuals who were playing the computer card game also reported being less satisfied with their lunch meals and also had difficulty remembering what they just ate.

It is clear that overconsumption is the primary problem when multi-tasking becomes part of meal time. Clifton suggests using smaller plates and portioning food in single-serve containers or sandwich bags to help cap calorie intake if your attention has to be diverted. Establishing ground rules is the key. “No eating in front of the television, no eating on the couch and no eating in the car,” advises Clifton. “You can lose focus on your senses since [attention] goes to your eyes and ears and that can lead to overeating.”

Another common trap for distracted diners is the tendency to eat food at a rapid rate. By doing so, the enjoyment of the meal is lessened while caloric intake is heightened. “It takes a while for our brain to actually compute satiety. When we are shoveling the food in we tend to take in more calories than we would have if we slowed down and were mindful about our eating. Let your body respond to the food and increase satiety,” states Jill McCann, a Registered Dietitian with Preferred Nutrition Services. It takes about 20 minutes for food to be digested enough to influence hormones and impact blood sugar so savoring the meal and enjoying each bite helps on multiple levels.

Becoming fully engaged in what you are doing sounds more like a life lesson, than nutritional advice, but it is important nonetheless. The concept of ‘mindless eating’ is fairly new, but it has become part of America’s nutritional lexicon. McCann coaches clients on techniques to fight mindless eating. “Distracted dining is one of the biggest driving forces against anyone seeking weight management or overall wellness,” states McCann.

McCann uses the acronym H.A.L.T. to help her clients curtail their tendencies towards mindless eating. “H.A.L.T. stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired,” states McCann. “Before taking that first bite, you should HALT and ask yourself if you are actually hungry or if you responding to other emotions.” It is quite normal for feelings of hunger to be present anywhere from 4 to 5 hours after eating. Anything inside of that window would require taking an emotional inventory.

Stressful situations, like those that trigger feelings of anger, can lead many people towards food. “I see emotional hunger a lot of times in the afternoon or nighttime as people are stressed out when they get home from work,” states McCann. “Food becomes a comfort for them.” In those circumstances McCann suggests simple deep breathing techniques before even opening the kitchen pantry.

Loneliness is another emotion that can influence a person’s attraction towards food. The act of eating increases serotonin levels in the brain which can elevate mood and provide a distraction from feelings such as isolation. Visiting with friends or family is the more healthful way to address this emotion. The consensus among nutritional therapists is that the emotions we may experience are controlled by outside forces, but how a person responds to that emotion is completely under their control. “Being healthy involves standing up for yourself and having confidence in the choices you are making,” states Clifton.

Fatigue is the last feeling in the H.A.L.T. tool and it is a common foe in weight loss efforts. The relationship between weariness and weight gain are driven by the two hormones that regulate hunger: gherlin and leptin. Gherlin is a hormone made in the stomach that tells the brain when it is time to eat. Conversely, leptin is the hormone that sends a signal to the brain that you are full. Leptin is released by the fat cells in our body. Researchers have found that people who regularly get less than seven hours of sleep have higher levels of gherlin and lower levels of leptin. It is easy to see why this hormonal one-two punch can lead to weight gain.

One common technique for battling the struggles of mindless eaters is food journaling. Clifton uses it as a tool with many of the clients in her wellness programs. “The journaling allows them to know where they stand with every single thing that they eat,” states Clifton. The method used to journal, whether online or hand-written, depends on the needs of the individual but either method creates much needed awareness. The cell phone, which is a weapon of mass distraction in most cases, can actually be a valuable ally for tracking intake. Clifton recommends fitday.com and myfitnesspal.com since they have meal tracking applications that are compatible with most smart phones. These websites help the user identify specific calorie goals and have a wealth of food items stored in their databases. “Sparkpeople.com is another good resource since it has a social media component which can be a source of additional motivation by being part of a community,” states Clifton. Best of all, they are free. Your bank account will appreciate that mindfulness.

At the end of the day Disturbances during meals are sometimes inevitable. The fact that your senses may be pulled in different directions while you eat does not mean it is unhealthy. However, if the television, desk or steering wheel is frequently at arm’s length during meals it may be time for a change of scenery. Maybe by this time tomorrow you will remember what you had for dinner.

Article shared from The HealthSource: http://healthsourcemag.com/distracted-dining/

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Binge Eating Increasing Amongst Men

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Writer Ron Saxen says binge eating destroyed his modeling career and relationships before he got help.
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The link between ADHD and poor eating habits isn’t surprising when you consider that it is a disorder of executive function, a set of cognitive skills which act as our brain manager. Executive function impacts almost every aspect of living, encompassing our ability to self-regulate, organize, plan, prioritize, and anticipate the future. Eating is only one of many facets of ordinary life influenced by ADHD, yet typically flies under the radar.
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