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Eating Disorders Anyone that has stayed up late at night watching television is sure to have been bombarded by infomercials promising miraculous dieting programs. They promise unbelievable results in a remarkable short amount of time. The truth is they wouldn’t still be on for this long if they weren't appealing to an audience. Let’s face it, when the average American is obese, of course there’s a market. I suppose it’s no joking matter, when for some, it’s the fear of being over weight that leads to dangerous eating disorders. The problem of obesity, or simply trying to avoid it, can develop to two weight-related disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Obesity is being twenty percent above the average weight for a person of a certain height and the problem results from biological and social factors, or a mix of the two. Biological factors such as the natural change in glucose levels in the blood, telling us when we’re hungry. Part of the brain called the hypothalamus, regulates these glucose levels, so if it was damaged in some way, our natural weight set point, or the particular level of weight that the body strives to maintain, could be off center. Another biological factor that’s a major determinate in whether a person is obese or not is ther metabolism.
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