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What is “starvation syndrome”?
Starvation syndrome refers to the psychological and physiological effects of starvation on a person’s mind, body, and behavior.
Many of the changes that take place in the thinking and behavior of a person with anorexia are due to the effects of starvation, or semi-starvation.
An important research study from the 1950s has dramatically increased our understanding of the impact of restrictive dieting and weight loss on otherwise healthy individuals.
Ancel Keys and his colleagues from the
During the dieting phase of the experiment, the men lost an average of 25% of their original weight. These men experienced dramatic changes, not just physically, but also in their psychological functioning and social behavior.
A summary of these changes can be found bellow and includes food preoccupation, depression, anxiety, irritability, social withdrawal, decreased concentration, poor judgment, sleep disturbances, decreased sexual interest, apathy, and personality changes.
Keys and the other researchers noted that the men became intensely focused on thoughts about food; they dreamed about food, they read about food, and some men who showed no prior interest in cooking began collecting recipes and kitchen utensils.
Irritability, depression, and outbursts of anger were seen in men who previously showed no signs of such dispositions prior to the experiment. Many of the men became socially withdrawn. Some who showed no prior body image dissatisfaction began to be more critical of their bodies and complained of being overweight. Others attempted to lose additional weight through deliberate exercise.
If you are thinking that the effects of starvation on the men in Keys’ experiment sound similar to the symptoms displayed in anorexia, you are indeed correct. Psychologist David Garner writes in the Handbook of Treatment for Eating Disorders, “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. Many of the symptoms once thought to be primary features of anorexia nervosa are actually symptoms of starvation.”
The significance of this experiment cannot be understated. Even behavioral changes such as depression, anxiety, and feelings of guilt about weight and food can be understood as part of a natural human response to starvation. Keys’ work also underscores the importance of normal weight restoration as an essential element in the recovery from anorexia.
Natural Results of Semi-Starvation
Attitudes and Behavior – Toward Food Emotional and Social Changes
Food preoccupation Depression
Collecting recipes, cookbooks, menus Anxiety
Unusual eating habits Irritability
Increased consumption of coffee, tea, spices Anger
Gum chewing “Psychotic” episodes
Binge eating Personality changes
Decreased Self-esteem
Social Withdrawal
Cognitive Changes – Physical Changes
Decreased concentration Sleep disturbances
Poor judgment Weakness
Apathy Gastrointestinal disturbances
Hypersensitivity to noise and light
Edema (water retention)
Hypothermia and feeling cold
Decreased metabolic rate
Decreased sexual interest
Hair loss
Source: Keys, Brozek, Henschel, Mickelsen, and
Term:
Semi-starvation – The state of being partially or nearly starved
Many of the changes that take place in the thinking and behavior of a person with anorexia are due to the effects of starvation
