Study GuideDevelopmental Psychology–Physical, CognitiveDevelopment: Age 12+1.Health Issues: Ages 12–19Teenagers are usually healthy, but somemajor health problemscan appear during adolescence.Health challenges are often linked tolow income, poor diet, lack of medical care, risky behavior,personality factors, and a sedentary lifestyle. The three main issues to be aware of areeatingdisorders, depression, and substance abuse.1.1 Eating DisordersObesity•Obesity means beingheavily overweight for your height.•About15–20% of adolescentsare obese.•Obesity can lead tochronic health problems, psychological stress, and social stigma.Anorexia Nervosa•Anorexia isself-starvation, often seen in perfectionist teenagers.•Individuals maybuy, cook, and prepare foodbut eat very little themselves.•They usually have adistorted body image, thinking they are too fat.•Anorexics are typically20% under their ideal weight.•About1% of adolescent girlsdevelop anorexia, and sadly,2–8% may die from starvation.Bulimia Nervosa•Bulimia involves abinge-purge cycle: eating large amounts of food and then vomiting, usinglaxatives, or exercising excessively.•Bulimics focus intensely onfood, weight, and body shapebut usually maintain anormalweight.Both anorexia and bulimia are more common in girls, and their exact causes areunknown. They canaffect teenagers fromall social and economic backgrounds.Preview Mode
This document has 8 pages. Sign in to access the full document!