MamasHealth.com Home Eating Disorder Pages Activity Anorexia Anorexia Athletes and Eating Disorders Binge Eating Bulimia Childhood Obesity Cultural Influences on Eating Disorders Eating Disorders & Men Eating Disorder Help Nighttime Eating Over Eating Overweight Dangers Pica Recovery Rumination Support Groups Survive Bulimia Anorexia Story Anorexia Recovery Inner Substance My Anorexia Story My Bulimia Story My Recovery Recovery Links Email Mama Gaining: The truth about life after eating disorders Sex on Prom Night Free grants for college Sign up for the MamasHealth Newsletter	What is Activity Anorexia? Activity anorexia is a problematic behavior pattern in which a drastic decrease in eating causes progressively more exercise, which further reduces eating, in a vicious cycle. When a person has activity anorexia, they value exercise more than they value food. When food intake declines, the person increases their physical activity. Activity anorexia is estimated to occur in 75% of all individuals who have anorexia nervosa. Many athletes have performed successfully while they had activity anorexia. Seeking a diagnosis and getting treatment should never be based solely on a decrease in performance. Treatment is necessary to combat the complications of activity anorexia. Symptoms of Activity Anorexia? Some of the most common symptoms of activity anorexia are: Compulsive about weight and diet. Steals time to exercise from work, school, and relationships. Avoiding multiple foods to do self-diagnosed food allergies Chronic gastrointestinal problems. Gastrointestinal problems that interfere with pre-exercise eating. Unbalanced vegetarian eating styles. Defines self-worth in terms of physical performance. Secretive eating. Obsessive calorie counting. Avoiding food-related social situations. Rarely or never satisfied with athletic achievements. Justifies excessive behavior by defining self as a "special" elite athlete. Athletics is used as an excuse not to eat. Strong desire to exercise despite medical restrictions. Helping a Person with an Activity Anorexia? Many athletes have performed successfully while they had activity anorexia. Seeking a diagnosis and getting treatment should never be based solely on a decrease in performance. Treatment is necessary to combat the complications of activity anorexia. Treatment can save the life of someone with activity anorexia. Friends, relatives, teachers, and physicians all play an important role in helping the person start and stay with a treatment program. If you suspect that a family member has activity anorexia. Suggest that your family member see an eating disorder expert. Be prepared for denial, resistance, and even anger. A doctor and/or a counselor can help them battle their eating disorder. Complications of Activity Anorexia? There are many medical risks associated with anorexia. They include: shrunken bones, mineral loss, low body temperature, irregular heartbeat, iron-deficiency anemia, menstrual irregularities, stress fractures, loss of coordination, impaired judgment, permanent failure of normal growth, and development of osteoporosis.
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