Social welfare: Morality and anorexia nervosa

This chapter discusses the concept of morality which may influence the conceptualization and implementation of anorexia nervosa under the umbrella of social welfare. Anorexia nervosa is not a silly obsession with becoming slim or a misguided wish to be beautiful. This eating disorder involves a drastic reduction in food intake and an unhealthy loss of weight (Sarafino, 1990). From a philosophical view, such starvation can be interpreted as something different or even a superior act (Welton, 1998). This chapter provides a review of anorexia nervosa and examines how the relationship between morality and social welfare will affect the conceptualization of anorexia nervosa. Specifically, it focuses on the aspects of preference and needs of morality. The chapter ends with a discussion that preference seems in tune with the liberal spirit of the modern age because it tends to see human agents as autonomous bodies; the concept of needs will be classified as occasional needs and basic needs.