Final answer:
College students often change their eating habits to manage stress, but this is distinct from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, which is characterized by severe food intake restriction, and can cause serious health issues. Bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are other conditions that involve problematic eating behaviors and can lead to significant health consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research findings concerning the eating habits of college students during periods of high stress suggest that they often change their eating patterns as a way to "manage" the stress. This may include altering the amount of food they consume, changing types of food, or the frequency of their meals. It's important to note that while stress can influence eating behaviors, it is not necessarily the leading cause of anorexia nervosa, which is a more complex disorder involving a severe restriction of food intake and a distorted body image. Anorexia nervosa can lead to serious health issues including malnutrition, bone loss, and in severe cases, death.
Other disorders like bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are also prevalent among certain groups, with psychological, social, and potentially genetic factors contributing to their development. These eating disorders, which are more commonly found in females, especially in Western societies, can result from cultural pressures and the idealization of thinness.
Unlike the severe food intake restrictions in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa involves periods of overeating followed by compensatory behaviors. Binge eating disorder is characterized by regular episodes of compulsive overeating without the compensatory behaviors seen in bulimia. Both of these conditions can lead to serious health consequences, including electrolyte imbalances and an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.