The Rehabilitation Center at Polyclinic No.1 Hipólito Pazos, in San Antonio de los Baños lies, among other specialties, consultation of Nutrition Counselor Mercedes Rodríguez Durán. In the interest to learn about diets and healthy eating habits people come to this consultation. A purpose of the eating disorder identified as anorexia chatted with the specialist.

What is anorexia?

Anorexia is a disorder of eating behavior, it means a loss of weight caused by the patient himself and leads to a state of starvation. Anorexia is characterized by fear of gaining weight and a distorted and delusional perception of one's body that makes the patient look fat even if its weight is lower than recommended. Thus begins a progressive decrease in weight by fasting and reduced food intake.

How often dealing in consultation with these patients?

Fortunately it is not often attend in consultation, only two cases does not present they are the only ones we should point out that it is not the generality that the patient comes alone, in many cases it is the family that refers the problem.

Can we speak of a pre disposing age. What is the diagnosis?

The onset age of anorexia is in early adolescence, about 12, although the most affected population is between 14 and 18. The typical anorexic is a teenager who has lost at least 15 percent of their body weight, obesity fears, has stopped menstruating, she denies being sick and looks healthy. There are groups most prone to these disorders, it is the case of gymnasts, dancers or models.

Are there factors or conditions that causes anorexia?

Studies and investigations determine the causes but social factors is given high priority, there are many cultural factors that can trigger anorexia, it is likely that part of the population has increased physical predisposition to this disorder, regardless the  environment, or some general factors are biological vulnerability, which is what precipitates disease development. For example the patient's own obesity, breast, or death of a loved one or separation of parents, the distance from home, school failures, accidents or other traumatic events.

Anorexia is a psychiatric illness. How to treat it?

It should be treated as such given the multidisciplinary and multifactorial approach. Treatment should be based on three aspects: Early detection of the disease, knowledge of symptoms by primary care physicians and protocols that define the criteria the physician must observe. Coordination between health services involved: psychiatry, endocrinology and pediatrics. It includes ambulatory monitoring once the patient has been discharged with regular visits.

How can we help these people?

First stimulation to these patients is very important, recognize that eating as an act of pleasure, contribute to improving the quality of life by practicing healthy eating habits. Also specify that people with anorexia becomes very important awareness that eating disorders are not eternal diseases or necessarily have to be the focus of our lives, it is to sensitize those who suffer from anorexia that are able to start and finish anything, they have begun fighting these disorders and they will do it. The main recommendation is the orientation to supply guides it shows what people need to eat.