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Eating disorders are serious conditions characterized by persistent eating habits that have a negative impact on your health, emotions, and ability to function in important areas of life. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are the most common eating disorders.
Most eating disorders involve obsessing over your weight, body shape, and food, which leads to dangerous eating habits. These behaviors can have a significant impact on your body's ability to obtain adequate nutrition. Eating disorders can wreak havoc on the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth, and mouth, as well as lead to other diseases.
Eating disorders are most common in adolescence and early adulthood, but they can occur at any age. With treatment, you can return to healthier eating habits and, in some cases, reverse serious eating disorder complications.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF EATING DISORDERS?
Symptoms differ according to the type of eating disorder. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Rumination disorder and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder are two other eating disorders.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a potentially fatal eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of weight or shape. Anorexics exert extreme efforts to control their weight and shape, which frequently interferes with their health and daily activities.
Anorexia is characterized by excessive calorie restriction or the use of other methods to lose weight, such as excessive exercise, the use of laxatives or diet aids, or vomiting after eating. Even if you are underweight, attempting to lose weight can cause serious health problems, sometimes leading to fatal self-starvation.
Binge eating disorder
When you have binge-eating disorder, you regularly overeat (binge) and feel out of control of your eating. Even if you're not hungry, you may eat quickly or consume more food than you intended, and you may continue eating even after you're uncomfortably full.
You may feel guilty, disgusted, or ashamed of your behavior and the amount of food consumed after a binge. However, you do not attempt to compensate for this behavior through excessive exercise or purging, as someone suffering from bulimia or anorexia might. Embarrassment may cause you to eat alone in order to conceal your bingeing.
At least once a week, a new round of bingeing begins. You could be a healthy weight, overweight, or obese.
Rumination disorder
Rumination disorder is defined as regurgitating food repeatedly and persistently after eating that is not caused by a medical condition or another eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge-eating disorder. Food is brought back up into the mouth without nausea or gagging, and regurgitation is not always deliberate. Regurgitated food is sometimes rechewed, reswallowed, or spit out.
If the food is spit out or the person eats significantly less to avoid the behavior, the disorder can lead to malnutrition. Rumination disorder may be more common in infancy or in people with intellectual disabilities.
Bulimia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa, also known as bulimia, is a serious, potentially fatal eating disorder. Bulimia is characterized by episodes of bingeing and purging that involve a sense of loss of control over one's eating. Many bulimics also restrict their eating during the day, which leads to more binge eating and purging.
During these episodes, you typically consume a large amount of food in a short period of time before attempting to burn off the excess calories in an unhealthy manner. Because of guilt, shame, and an intense fear of gaining weight as a result of overeating, you may force yourself to vomit, exercise excessively, or use other methods, such as laxatives, to get rid of the calories.
If you have bulimia, you are probably obsessed with your weight and body shape, and you may judge yourself harshly for your perceived flaws. You could be of normal weight or even slightly overweight.
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
This disorder is defined by failing to meet your minimum daily nutrition requirements due to a lack of interest in eating; avoiding food with certain sensory characteristics, such as color, texture, smell, or taste; or being concerned about the consequences of eating, such as choking. Food is not avoided because of a desire to lose weight.
In childhood, the disorder can cause significant weight loss or failure to gain weight, as well as nutritional deficiencies that can cause health problems.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF EATING DISORDER?
It is unknown what causes eating disorders. As with other mental illnesses, there could be a variety of causes, including:
Biology and genetics: Certain people may be predisposed to developing eating disorders due to genetic factors. Changes in brain chemicals, for example, may play a role in eating disorders.
Psychological and emotional well-being: Eating disorder sufferers may have psychological and emotional issues that contribute to the disorder. Low self-esteem, perfectionism, impulsive behavior, and troubled relationships are all possibilities.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS OF EATING DISORDER?
Although teenage girls and young women are more likely than teenage boys and young men to suffer from anorexia or bulimia, males can also suffer from eating disorders. Although eating disorders can occur at any age, they are most common in teenagers and early twenties.
Certain factors, such as those listed below, may increase the likelihood of developing an eating disorder.
- Dieting and fasting: Dieting raises the risk of developing an eating disorder. Starvation has an effect on the brain, influencing mood changes, rigidity of thought, anxiety, and appetite reduction. Many of the symptoms of an eating disorder are actually symptoms of starvation, according to research. In vulnerable individuals, starvation and weight loss may alter the way the brain functions, perpetuating restrictive eating behaviors and making it difficult to return to normal eating habits.
- Family history: People who have parents or siblings who have had eating disorders are much more likely to develop an eating disorder.
- Other mental health issues: People who have an eating disorder frequently have a history of anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Stress: Whether it's starting college, moving, starting a new job, or dealing with a family or relationship issue, change can cause stress, which may increase your risk of developing an eating disorder.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF EATING DISORDERS?
Eating disorders can lead to a wide range of complications, some of which are life-threatening. The more severe or long-lasting the eating disorder, the more likely serious complications will occur, such as:
- Serious health issues
- Anxiety and depression
- Substance abuse problems
- Work and school issues
- Death
- Suicidal ideation or behavior
- Growth and development issues
- Social and interpersonal issues
HOW ARE EATING DISORDERS DIAGNOSED?
Signs, symptoms, and eating habits are used to diagnose eating disorders. If your doctor suspects you have an eating disorder, he or she will most likely perform an exam and order tests to help narrow down the diagnosis. For a diagnosis, you may consult with both your primary care provider and a mental health professional.
Assessments and tests typically include the following items:
- Physical examination: Your doctor will almost certainly examine you to rule out any other medical causes for your eating problems. He or she may also request laboratory tests.
- Psychological assessment: A doctor or mental health professional will almost certainly inquire about your thoughts, feelings, and eating habits. You may be asked to fill out psychological self-assessment questionnaires as well.
- Other studies: Additional tests may be performed to rule out any complications from your eating disorder.
Your mental health professional may also employ diagnostic criteria from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
HOW CAN EATING DISORDERS BE TREATED?
Treatment for an eating disorder is typically a collaborative effort. The team typically consists of primary care providers, mental health professionals, and dietitians, all of whom have prior experience with eating disorders.
Treatment is determined by the type of eating disorder you have. However, in general, it includes nutrition education, psychotherapy, and medication. If your life is in danger, you may require immediate hospitalization.
Medications
An eating disorder cannot be cured with medication. Certain medications, on the other hand, may help you control urges to binge or purge, as well as manage excessive preoccupations with food and diet. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, for example, may help with the symptoms of depression or anxiety that are frequently associated with eating disorders.
Eating healthily
Members of your team can work with you to design a plan to help you achieve healthy eating habits, regardless of your weight.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, can teach you how to replace bad habits with good ones. This could include:
- Family-based therapy (FBT): FBT is a research-backed treatment for eating disorders in children and teenagers. The entire family is involved in ensuring that the child or other family member follows healthy eating habits and maintains a healthy weight.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is commonly used in the treatment of eating disorders, particularly bulimia and binge-eating disorder. You learn how to monitor and improve your eating habits and moods, how to solve problems, and how to cope with stressful situations in a healthy way.
Hospitalization
Your doctor may recommend hospitalization if you have serious health problems, such as anorexia that has resulted in severe malnutrition. Some clinics specialize in the treatment of people suffering from eating disorders. Some may provide day programs rather than full-service hospitalization. Specialized eating disorder treatment programs may provide more intensive care over a longer period of time.
HOW CAN EATING DISORDERS BE PREVENTED?
Although there is no sure way to prevent eating disorders, the following strategies can assist your child in developing healthy eating habits:
- Avoid dieting in front of your child. Family dining habits may have an impact on the relationships children form with food. Eating meals together allows you to teach your child about the dangers of dieting and encourages them to eat a balanced diet in reasonable portions.
- Develop and reinforce a positive body image in your child, regardless of his or her shape or size. Discuss self-image with your child and reassure them that body shapes vary. Avoid making negative comments about your own body in front of your child. Messages of acceptance and respect can help children develop healthy self-esteem and resilience, which will carry them through the difficult teen years.
- Speak with your child. There are numerous websites, for example, that promote perilous ideas, such as viewing anorexia as a lifestyle choice rather than an eating disorder. It's critical to correct any misconceptions like this and to talk to your child about the dangers of poor eating habits.
- Enlist the assistance of your child's doctor. Doctors may be able to detect early signs of an eating disorder during well-child visits. During routine medical appointments, for example, they can ask children about their eating habits and satisfaction with their appearance. These visits should include measurements of your child's height and weight percentiles, as well as his or her body mass index, which can alert you and your child's doctor to any significant changes.
If you notice a family member or friend exhibiting symptoms of an eating disorder, consider discussing your concern for his or her well-being with that person. Although you may not be able to prevent the development of an eating disorder, reaching out with compassion may encourage the person to seek treatment.