posted July 18, 2000 01:06 PM         

When you think of eating disorders you may typically think of anorexia
(Def: Refusal to eat anything until you are extremely thin and
malnourished) or bulimia (Def: Eat all you want then go in the bathroom
and make yourself throw up until you are thin and malnourished). Recently
some Harvard docs have decided its time to define yet another eating
disorder, a disorder specifically seen in one particular population,
bodybuilders. You may have been aware that we bodybuilders have qualified
on several criteria (DSM-IV) for eating disorders like anorexia or even
bulimia. Certainly our preoccupation with food has led some
researchers/therapists to think of us as having "issues" with food. Now
they are sure we have a problem and want to help us by clearly defining
it. They call this new type of eating disorder, "Eating Disorder,
Bodybuilder-Type" or simply ED, BT.

According to the proposal by the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard
Medical School, ED, BT is characterized by "rigid adherence to a
high-calorie, high-protein, low-fat diet that is consumed in the form of
pre-prepared meals and supplements eaten at regularly scheduled intervals.
Women with this disorder frequently refused to eat out at restaurants or
at friends' houses because of their need to be certain that they were
ingesting the precise amounts of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates
that they believed necessary to maintain their physique."

These Harvard docs said that individuals with this disorder are known to
routinely prepare all of their meals for the day in advance, packaging
precisely measured quantities of specific foods (lean chicken or fish with
steamed vegetables) in small containers to be consumed at prescribed hours
throughout the day. They go further to report that if their eating routine
was disrupted, individuals with ED, BT typically experience "intense
anxiety", and often engage in compensatory behaviors such as eating a
protein bar to substitute for a missed meal.

Your probably thinking I made this up but I assure you, these people are
dead serious about defining this new eating disorder. Here are the
specific criteria used to identify an individual with ED, BT:

(1) Refusal to maintain body fat at a healthy level (defined in women as
the level necessary for normal menstrual cycles to take place) accompanied
by a desire to maximize muscle mass.

(2) Intense fear of gaining fat or losing muscle, even though body fat is
below normal, as defined above, and degree of muscularity is far above
average.

(3) Strict adherence to a rigid diet with at least 2 of the following
features:
(a) At least 5 meals per day, consumed on a regular schedule, for example
every 3 hours.

(b) Meals all consist of high-calorie, high-protein, low-fat foods or food
supplements.

(c) A significant amount of time and money is spent acquiring, preparing
and eating these specialized meals.

(4) Disturbance in the way in which one's body composition is experienced
or undue influence of body appearance on self-evaluation.

(5) Social and occupational opportunities are frequently given up because
they interfere with the composition or timing of meals.

There you have it, the definition of this bizarre bodybuilding eating
disorder. You would think that they would classify the eating habits the
average sedentary overweight person as a disorder. After all, their eating
habits lead to chronic disease and premature death. I don't know about you
but I am proud to have this new eating disorder, bodybuilder type that is!

posted July 18, 2000 01:54 PM            

Foucault has written extensively on the topic of inventing new diseases in his books like "The History of Sexuality" and "Birth of the Clinic"

posted July 18, 2000 02:52 PM            

Bjaarki

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"'Til the weard of the world, stands, unforgotten,
high under Heaven, the hero's name." - Hrolf Krakki's Saga (Iceland)

posted July 18, 2000 04:37 PM            

that is NOT an eating disorder.

posted July 18, 2000 04:43 PM            

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SIZE MATTERS MOST

"Obsession is passion. Use it. Make it your strength." -by Puc

posted July 18, 2000 04:51 PM            

This idea, according to Curious, comes out of Harvard. I don't know if this is out of Harrison Pope's shop there, but it may be, since he does a lot of work on what he's calling "The Adonis Complex," which very much applies to BB, and would probably DEEPLY piss you off. Pope's no pencilneck, though. The man lifts 2 hours a day and squats 400 plus. Not bad for a busy academic.

Buckydingdong is partially right about the Anorexia Athletica thing. It applies as much to BB, though, as to malnourishment.

Still, it's all a bunch of bullshit. Bear in mind that, for most illnesses to be accepted as illnesses by the psychiatric community, they must imply either (a) subjective distress, or (b) significant impairment in social, occupational, or physical functioning. ED/BT fails this, and, as I say, won't go anywhere.

A final thought to chew on, in reference to Curious's first post: "...but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience...To be 'cured' against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level with those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will."

From C.S. Lewis "The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment" (1949)

Take care, all.

Bjaarki

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"'Til the weard of the world, stands, unforgotten,
high under Heaven, the hero's name." - Hrolf Krakki's Saga (Iceland)

posted July 18, 2000 07:11 PM            

SAY IT WITH ME MEATHEADS, I HAVE AN EATING DISORDER, AND IM NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT IT.

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215LBS of Twisted Steel and Pure Sex Appeal! http://dannysgymstuff.homestead.com/Dannyshome.html

posted July 18, 2000 08:31 PM            

My name is Flex, and I have an eating disorder..

he he he

posted July 18, 2000 09:07 PM            

Anyways, screw this stupid new catagory for bodybuilders. It's docs like this that came up with the messed up food pyramid in the first place and also said that steroids do not increase anabolism.

posted July 18, 2000 10:31 PM            

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DECA-IT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER

posted July 19, 2000 02:37 PM            

Oh sorry, it was time for some chicken and rice and I had to leave my computer to go prepare it.

...........shrinks are very creative at naming different "conditions."

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"It's a good day to be alive, sir, It's a good day to be alive he said..."