a depression in south-central Africa, coinciding with the Kalahari syneclise of the African platform; located in the territory of Angola, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Southern Rhodesia, and the Republic of South Africa.
Some children are short or tall because their parents are. But some children have growth disorders. Growth disorders are problems that prevent children from developing normal height, weight, sexual maturity or other features. Very slow or very fast growth can sometimes signal a gland problem or disease. The pituitary gland makes growth hormone, which stimulates the growth of bone and other tissues. Children who have too little of it may be very short. Treatment with growth hormone can stimulate growth.
Eating disorders affect approximately 7,000,000 American women each year and tend to peak during childbearing years. Pregnancy is a time when body image concerns are more prevalent, and for those who are struggling with an eating disorder, the nine months of pregnancy can cause disorders to become more serious. Two of the most common types of eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia involves obsessive dieting or starvation to control weight gain. Bulimia involves binge eating and vomiting or using laxatives to rid the body of excess calories. Both types of eating disorders may negatively affect the reproductive process and pregnancy.