Then there are the heavy-duty eating disorders:  
   Anorexia nervosa is dieting gone wild.  It's an emotional disorder characterized by severe weight loss (or failure to gain weight in young people). People with anorexia have an iron determination to become thin and an intense, irrational fear of becoming fat, both of which often increase as weight is lost.   
   They have a hard time maintaining a healthy weight. They lose weight by fasting, over-exercising, using diuretics and laxatives and  over-the-counter diet aids,  and in some cases, self-induced vomiting.
    
   They say they feel fat even when they are very thin.  They experience a sense of control by not eating and often turn away from food in an attempt to cope with life's stresses.

   People with bulimia nervosa binge-eat, secretly consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time. They follow these binges with self-induced vomiting or purging -- fasting, over-exercising or taking laxatives, diuretics or diet pills. This binge-purge cycle is normally accompanied by self-defeating thoughts, depressed mood, and an awareness that the eating behavior is not normal and out-of-control. In most cases, the binge-purge cycle is an outlet for feelings of frustration, disappointment, anger, loneliness and boredom.

   Both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have serious health implications if untreated. A safe, healthy weight loss plan can be developed for you by your family doctor.

This year, a thousand people will die from anorexia nervosa.

How much weight is too much?

   To determine the degree of a person's excess body weight accurately,  many doctors use something called a Body Mass Index (BMI), which takes into account your height and weight.  A person with a BMI of 30 or greater, or who is at least 30 pounds overweight would be diagnosed as obese, the condition of being considerably overweight.

   Excess weight has been proven to contribute to an increased risk of developing many medical problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes.  Eating excess fatty food and calories and not participating in any exercise play a significant role in the development of excess weight.

   People who are considerably overweight may have a problem regulating their appetite or they may have an energy metabolism problem -- they consume more calories than their bodies use.  The excess calories are then stored in the body as fat.

   In addition to overeating and lack of physical activity, genetics, environment and economic situation can all increase a  person's risk of becoming considerably overweight.

   An estimated 97 million adults in the US face the problem of excess weight.

   One of the keys to successful weight loss is setting realistic, achievable goals.

   Talk with your doctor about your weight (whether you are overweight or underweight).  If he or she determines that you are overweight or underweight, work on the solutions with your doctor and your parents.