NOTE: This is a rather long 'post;, but it explains some of the most valuable information pertaining to the effects of starvation on human behavior. Please take the time to read the entire writing.
The following is an adaptation of "Handbook for Treatment of Eating Disorders" p. 145-177 by David M. Garner, Ph.D., which describes a study performed by Ancel Keyes at the University of Minnesota.
The short version: Physically AND mentally healthy MEN were given a diet of about 1/2 their normal intake for about 6 months. Almost all of the men began to show symptoms and behaviors identical to those seen in people with EDs. Then, when the starvation phase was ended, the men continued to show drastically unhealthy behaviors regarding food and overall mental health.
STARVATION SYMPTOMS
One of the most important advancements in the understanding of eating disorders is the recognition that severe and prolonged dietary restriction can lead to serious physical and psychological complications (Garner, 1997). Many of the symptoms once thought to be primary features of anorexia nervosa are actually symptoms of starvation. Given what we know about the biology of weight regulation, what is the impact of weight suppression on the individual? This is particularly relevant for those with anorexia nervosa, but is also important for people with eating disorders who have lost significant amounts of body weight. Perhaps the most powerful illustration of the effects of restrictive dieting and weight loss on behavior is an experimental study conducted almost 50 years ago and published in 1950 by Ancel Keys and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota (Keys et al., 1950). The experiment involved carefully studying 36 young, healthy, psychologically normal men while restricting their caloric intake for 6 months. More than 100 men volunteered for the study as an alternative to military service; the 36 selected had the highest levels of physical and psychological health, as well as the most commitment to the objectives of the experiment. What makes the "starvation study" (as it is commonly known) so important is that many of the experiences observed in the volunteers are the same as those experienced by patients with eating disorders. This section of this chapter is a summary of the changes observed in the Minnesota study.
During the first 3 months of the semistarvation experiment, the volunteers ate normally while their behavior, personality, and eating patterns....
this is so great jan, thanks...one thing i notice in starvation is i get angry--ANGRY all the time and get so moody, mean, nasty! ( my poor fiancee.) i notice when i resume eating, this goes away and i become my normal self again...this is a very true study---and in particular to the binge eating after starvation...
althoug i think it left out some afteraffects or symptoms, i think this is great...
Maureen,
You make a good point. Remember, this study was not even done for anything pertaining to eating disorders, and back then, they had no clue how valuable some of these data would be. It is unfortunate that there was not more follow up data collected, but it does provide a lot of important information!! HUGS..Jan ♥
My counselor told me about this long ago to explain some of the binging I mentioned occurring (before it turned to bulimia), but it was so interesting to read the study in full! Thanks so much for the great information Jan!
It definitely explains my odd appetite at times :)
Paige,
In the world of ED treatment, the hope is to help dispel some of the blame that people take on about the ED, and to help others understand why the behaviors are so uncontrollable. Take away the blame, and remember that nutrition is the best possible form of treatment! ♥
Jan,
When your on the crazy carousel (which is where I am), one doesn't realize they are not thinking clearly. Though I am getting nutrition because I am not purging everything, I am reminded that my thoughts are altered by my compromised nutritional and chemical state.
Once again I am reminded to not believe everything I think, and to remember this way of living is truly possibly fatal compromise of my short time here.
Today I will stick to what I know, binging and purging makes me crazy and lazy.
Thanks for being here.
Patsy
Patsy,
You state it well. Anything that compromises the quality of our life, and that we can possibly change, cannot be taken lightly! We all deserve to live our lives 100% every day!! HUGS..Jan ♥
thank you for posting the study and for such personal comments. being able to recognize these behaviors and thought patterns in others has been easier for me than any self-awareness. a LOT of my thinking and behaving seem so NORMAL to me. i can't SEE it in myself. and when i do? it doesn't change that it feeeeeeeels normal.
i do take on a lot of blame... this study and the efforts of other luminous sisters show that there is much i do NOT control....and much that i can indeed change.
overflowing with gratitude...
xo