Study: exposure to shocks increases the risk of eating disorders

In a recent study, a clear link was shown between exposure to shocking events and an increase in the risk of eating disorders, as well as some social and demographic factors such as educational level, gender, region and age, by increasing the risk of eating disorders. The study showed in the magazine Brain and Behavior, which includes 580 adults, including 320 male and 260 women, chosen online, that individuals subjected to shocking events were more likely to eat at eating disorders of different forms, including anxiety about eating, weight and body shape, in addition to limited nutritional behavior. Eating disorders are defined as severe psychological conditions characterized by abnormal behavior in eating and an upset relationship with food and body image, and contains main types such as nerve -forexia, which are extremely withholding from eating, and nervous inspiration, which occur in the form of eating attacks, followed by infination, and the dismay of foods such as excessive consumption. These disorders are not only limited to eating habits, but its devastating effects extend to all aspects of physical and psychological health as it can cause acute malnutrition, organs of organs, osteoporosis, heart disorders and even death in severe cases. Eating disorders are associated with severe depression, anxiety, self -warming, low quality of life and its danger that they are often neglected or considered a personal choice, while in reality they are complicated psychological illnesses that need specialized medical intervention, especially in societies suffering from collective shocks such as Palestinian society, because it can be used as an unhealthy mechanism to deal with chronic psychological tension. The results also revealed the impact of social and demographic factors to increase the possibility of these disorders, as women recorded higher rates compared to men, and the interference appeared more among young people compared to elderly people, and between individuals with low educational levels compared to those with higher qualifications. The researchers noted that the residents of the Palestinian refugee camps were more prone to infection than the residents of city and towns. Mental health services, the lead author of the study, Fayez Mahamid, of a -Najah National University, said that “psychological interventions can help reduce eating disorders and address the challenges of mental health in Palestinian society, which are characterized by high levels of shocking events and ongoing political conflict.” The study comes in the context of a Palestinian environment that sees continuous political tension and difficult living conditions, making it a fertile environment to study the effect of repeated shocks on mental health and nutritional behavior. The results shed light on the urgent need to improve mental health services and develop specialized programs to handle eating disorders in areas with chronic conflicts.