Eating Disorders
A person’s eating disorder may not be clear-cut
Disordered eating may be exhibited in different ways for different people. Chronic dieting, tendencies to overeat, denying yourself foods that you enjoy, or feeling guilty with your food choices, can all be considered forms of disordered eating.
When we speak of eating disorders, we are usually referring to Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa or Compulsive Overeating. Often a person’s type of eating disorder may not be clear-cut, but more a combination of two or more of these. The term used for diagnosis — if it is not clear cut — would be Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS).
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is a diagnostic eating disorder with general manifestations of refusal to maintain body weight within appropriate ranges for height and age; intense fear of gaining weight or becoming “fat”, although underweight; distorted body image; and amenorrhea (the loss of three consecutive menstrual cycles).
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa is a diagnostic eating disorder with general manifestations of recurrent episodes of binge eating (eating large amounts of food in a discrete time period), feelings of lack of control over eating behaviors during binges, purging behaviors (self-induced vomiting, laxative and diuretic abuse, strict dieting or fasting, and vigorous exercise), and body image issues.
Compulsive Overeating/Binge Eating Disorder
Compulsive overeating, or binge eating disorder, is a diagnostic eating disorder with general manifestations of recurrent episodes of binge eating (eating large amounts of food in a discrete time period), feelings of lack of control over eating behaviors during binges, repeated attempts to lose weight, preoccupation with weight and dieting, and consuming “diet foods” when accompanied and “forbidden foods” in secrecy.
Potential Signs of an Eating Disorder
- An intense fear of becoming overweight even though a person is underweight and the fear does not diminish even when weight is lost
- A refusal to maintain an appropriate body weight for the individual’s age and height
- Weight loss of at least 15% of normal weight
- Distorted body image, claiming to “feel fat,” even when extremely underweight, and identifying particular body areas that are “fat”
- No physical illness that would account for weight loss
- A preoccupation with body image and size, the individual is usually unhappy with their perception of how they look
- Severe restricting of what type of foods a person “allows” him- or herself to eat and when eating is allowed
- Continuing to restrict food intake in order to bring about desired weight loss, even after losing a significant amount
- Rituals with food, such as cutting food into small pieces and counting bites
- Preparing food for others but not eating it themselves
- Dressing in oversized clothes to hide weight loss
- Purging through vomiting, compulsive exercise, laxatives, and diuretics
- Obsessively thinking about food throughout the day
- Avoiding social situations that involve food and going out to restaurants
If you think you might have an eating disorder, take the EAT-26 Eating Attitudes Test or contact your doctor or nutrition therapist.
