Speech:  Informative

Speech:  Informative

Topic: Eating Disorders

Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about eating disorders, their causes, how to identify them, and how to get help.

Central Idea: There is a need for people to get enough knowledge about eating disorders so that they can protect themselves and help their family and friends who face it.

INTRODUCTION

1. Attention-getter: When you sit down at the dinner table with a large pizza, or maybe a bowl of spaghetti with meatballs, I am sure your mind focuses on clearing your plate. You’re probably famished after a long day and want to eat your dinner peacefully. But what if I told you that there are people who cannot enjoy food the same way you do? For some, eating is not a simple task they can perform and go on with their lives. It is not a simple step taken to ensure that they are full and provide energy for the next activity. Food is a basic need, showing just how important it is to eat for survival. However, a large number of people do not enjoy the same relationship with food that others do.
2. Reveal to the audience: At least 30 million Americans from all genders and different ages suffer from eating disorders, and every hour, at least one person dies as a result of an eating disorder (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders n.p.). This death rate means that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate compared to other illnesses.

• Credibility material: Growing up, I have watched classmates, and other people suffer from eating disorders. As a result, I became curious and eager to know what eating disorders are and how people can deal with them. This curiosity led me to research widely and understand the situation.

1. Preview of speech: Today, I will provide you with a basic yet crucial understanding of eating disorders that will help you personally and empower you to help others. I will start by distinguishing the types of eating disorders, explaining what they are, and then identifying their causes, signs, and treatment options.

(Transition: I will start with the most fundamental aspect, which is defining eating disorders and differentiating between the types of eating disorders.)

DISCUSSION

Main Point I

An eating disorder is a mental illness characterized by a severe distortion in eating behavior (Ambrose and Deisler 5). Three main points arise from this definition. Firstly, an eating disorder is a psychological condition. It is manifested in the physical but begins in the brain. Secondly, it is an illness. It is not a trend or a decision but a disease. Lastly, it disrupts how a person eats. There are three types (National Institute of Mental Health n.p.);

1. Anorexia nervosa

• People with this disorder are obsessed with losing weight. They view themselves as overweight, even when they are underweight.
• To lose weight, they starve themselves, exercise too much, use laxatives, or induce vomiting to lose weight.
• It has the highest mortality rate, with people dying due to starvation or commit suicide.
  1. Bulimia nervosa
• The person has frequent episodes where they overeat, then feel guilty and use fasting, laxatives, induced vomiting, and excessive exercise to feel like they have regained control.
• The difference between bulimia and anorexia is that bulimic people have episodes of binge eating, eating an abnormally large amount of food, then trying to control the effects.
  1. Binge-eating
• This disorder involves eating a large amount of food in one sitting. The person suffering from it cannot control their eating habits and may eat even when full.
• Unlike anorexia and bulimia, the result is weight gain, which makes the person overweight and obese.

(Transition: As I have already pointed out, eating disorders are psychological, meaning that they begin at a mental level.)

Main Point II

1. There is no clear cause of eating disorders. I know this may be shocking because it is hard to avoid a condition whose cause is not clear. However, there are risk factors that increase a person’s vulnerability (Jade n.p.). These are genetic predispositions, fat-shaming or teasing, childhood abuse, trauma, strained family relationships, childhood obesity, sexual identity issues, personality type, and culture.
2. When a person experiences these factors, they tend to become stressed, and this triggers the disorder. For example, a fat-shamed person may start starving to lose weight and avoid teasing.
3. Similarly, a bulimic person may experience a stressful situation and end up binge-eating then inducing vomiting to control the situation.
4. Lastly, a person with binge-eating disorder may be triggered to over-eat to alleviate their stress.

(Transition: We have addressed the causes of disorders, so the next question is how to identify the symptoms of each disorder.)

MAIN POINT III

As you interact with people suffering from eating disorders, some signs become apparent.

1. From a personal point of view, if your attitude towards food changes, for example, if you eat very little or too much food and create strict routines on eating time, you should take a step back and seek help if it is becoming a severe condition. Another sign is feeling the need to induce vomiting after eating (National Health Service n.p.). Also, if you start developing body image issues, take precautions to ensure that it does not morph into a severe psychological problem.
2. An anorexic person experiences dramatic weight loss, lies about weight or how much they have eaten, avoids eating with others, easts small portions of food at a slow pace, and generally looks emaciated.
3. A person with bulimia has the same signs as an anorexic person, but additionally, eats a lot of food then induces vomiting or takes laxatives to get rid of it.
4. People with binge eating disorder eat a lot of food very fast, even when full. They also experience serious weight gain.

(Transition: Once you identify these signs, it is crucial to seek treatment or advice the person who seems to have a disorder to do so.)

MAIN POINT IV

1. Eating disorders do not just go away. A person needs to seek an actual diagnosis and get treatment from a professional, specifically a psychotherapist.
2. There are several treatment options;

• The person may undergo counseling, whether individual, group therapy, or involving the whole family.
• Further, medical care is essential, especially where the individual’s physical health has deteriorated severely.
• The person can also seek advice on nutrition and a plan of action to get back on track.
• The person can also be put on medication to suppress the disorder.

CONCLUSION

1. Signal the end:  We have seen what eating disorders are, their symptoms, and the options available for treatment.
2. Reinforce central idea:  An eating disorder is a disease that must be diagnosed and treated to prevent it from causing death to an individual. I hope you can now single out signs of eating disorders to prevent them from developing at a personal level and also to enable you to help anyone around you who experiences it.