Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is a behavior related to food, eating, and weight that is extremely unhealthy and often related to emotional and mental problems.

Main types of disorders

Anorexia Nervosa

A person's back with Anorexia Nervosa

Also known as just anorexia, is an eating disorder that is common among female teenagers and young women¹. Anorexia Nervosa is a physiological eating disorder that is exemplified by dangerously low body weight, a fear of weight gain, and an irrational view of food (such as diets)².

A person with this disorder ignores feelings of hunger and eats very little³. Victims of this potentially life-threatening disease see themselves as overweight even when they are dangerously underweight. Anorexia is a psychological disorder with emotional and physical consequences⁴.

Symptoms usually include: extremely low carbic intake, an obsession with exercising⁵, emotional problems, and unnatural and abnormal non-interest in food, a distorted body image (when looking in the mirror), and denial of an eating problem.

Bulimia

An eating disorder that involves bingeing on food followed by purging. This disorder can cause gum disease, kidney disease, heart disease and death. [1]

Symptoms may include: being preoccupied with your body shape and weight,living in fear of gaining weight, repeated episodes of eating abnormally large amounts of food in one sitting, feeling a loss of control during bingeing — like you can't stop eating or can't control what you eat, forcing yourself to vomit or exercising too much to keep from gaining weight after bingeing, using laxatives, diuretics or enemas after eating when they're not needed, fasting, restricting calories or avoiding certain foods between binges, and using dietary supplements or herbal products excessively for weight loss. [2]

Binge Eating Disorders

An eating disorder in which people do not purge themselves of the extra calories or exercise excessively. People with this disorder are often overweight or obese. Individuals with this disorder often experience guilt, shame, and anxiety over binge eating, which leads to more binge eating. These individuals often eat for the emotional benefits of the binge. They may have a compulsion to gorge themselves. Binge eating has a mental health component which should not go untreated. [3]