Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionTypesDo I Have an Eating Disorder?Treatment and ResourcesRisks in TeensFinding HelpNext in Eating Disorders GuideHow Eating Disorders Are Treated
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Types
Do I Have an Eating Disorder?
Treatment and Resources
Risks in Teens
Finding Help
Next in Eating Disorders Guide
Eating disordersare serious medical conditions that affect both physical and mental health. These disorders are not a choice and can be life-threatening. Fortunately, it is possible to recover from an eating disorder.
Common types of eating disorders includeanorexianervosa,bulimia nervosa, andbinge eating disorder. Other types include avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED). Eating disorders can affect people of all ages, races, ethnicities, body weights, and genders.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
You may be wondering if you have an eating disorder ordisordered eating. An eating disorder is a clinical diagnosis. Disordered eating refers to abnormal eating patterns that do not fit the criteria for an eating disorder.See your healthcare provider if you believe that you could be experiencing an eating disorder.
This article will provide an overview of eating disorders, including the signs and symptoms, how to recognize one in someone else, and the treatment options.
Defining an Eating Disorder
An eating disorder is a serious mental health disorder. It affects your thoughts about your body, food, and eating behaviors. An eating disorder often causes disturbing thoughts and emotions. People experiencing an eating disorder often feel obsessed with thoughts of food and body weight.
An eating disorder can significantly impact your physical and mental health. It may even be life-threatening when left untreated. Eating disorders are most commonly diagnosed in young people assigned female at birth but can affect anyone.
Types of Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
Possible symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:
Possible signs of anorexia nervosa in someone else include:
ComplicationsOver time, anorexia nervosa can lead to serious health complications, including:Low red blood cell count (anemia)Muscle wasting and weaknessWeak bones (osteoporosis)Low blood pressureSlowed breathing rate and heart rateInfertility
Complications
Over time, anorexia nervosa can lead to serious health complications, including:Low red blood cell count (anemia)Muscle wasting and weaknessWeak bones (osteoporosis)Low blood pressureSlowed breathing rate and heart rateInfertility
Over time, anorexia nervosa can lead to serious health complications, including:
Bulimia Nervosa
Possible symptoms of bulimia nervosa include:
Possible signs of bulimia nervosa in someone else include:
Emotional Eating: Factors Behind Motivations
Binge Eating Disorder
Possible symptoms of binge eating disorder include:
Possible signs of binge eating disorder in someone else include:
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)is an eating disorder that involves not consuming enough calories to grow and develop properly.
Many children go through phases of “picky” eating. People with ARFID are unable to consume enough calories for proper growth. They may restrict several categories of food. Unlike people with anorexia, people with ARFID do not fear weight gain.
Possible symptoms of avoidant restrictive food intake disorder include:
Possible signs of avoidant restrictive food intake disorder in someone else include:
Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders
Other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED) are a group of eating disorders that do not meet the criteria for any of the previously mentioned eating disorders. People with these types of disorders experience disordered eating patterns.
Possible symptoms of OSFED include:
Possible signs of OSFED in someone else include:
You may be wondering if you have an eating disorder. The best way to figure this out is to see a healthcare provider. The healthcare provider will conduct a physical exam and medical history. Plan to answer questions about your eating habits, exercise routines, and overall health.
Your provider may recommend medical tests, including:
If you feel that your eating habits, exercise routines, or purging episodes are beyond your control, it’s important to see your healthcare provider right away.
Causes and Risk Factors
Eating disorders can affect people of all ages, genders, weights, races, and ethnicities. Young people assigned female at birth are most likely to be diagnosed.
Risk factors for an eating disorder include:
Eating Disorder Treatment and Resources
Eating disorders are serious medical conditions that require treatment. When left untreated, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa can cause life-threatening health complications. Fortunately, they are treatable. See your healthcare provider and a mental health professional for treatment.
The primary goals ofeating disorder treatmentare to:
Treatment options for most eating disorders may include:
How Eating Disorders Are Treated
Risks of Eating Disorders in Teens
It is estimated that up to 1 in 10 adolescents assigned female at birth will experience an eating disorder. It is also possible for adolescents assigned male at birth to experience an eating disorder.
A 2019 study found that exposure to media can increase the risk of eating disorders in adolescents because it promotes dissatisfaction with body image. Teens exposed to media such as television, magazines, and social media may feel increased pressure to achieve a certain beauty standard. This may happen around the same time as puberty, a process that usually causes weight gain and bodily changes.
Research shows that family-based therapy is an effective treatment for teens with eating disorders. This type of therapy empowers parents to take over the responsibility of feeding their children to ensure they receive enough nutrients.
Not Just TeensWhile teens may be at a higher risk of developing eating disorders, people of all ages can be affected.
Not Just Teens
While teens may be at a higher risk of developing eating disorders, people of all ages can be affected.
Where to Go If You Think You Have an Eating Disorder
If you think you may have an eating disorder, seek help right away. Reach out to your healthcare provider to determine your diagnosis and treatment plan. Eating disorders can lead to serious medical complications and a higher risk of suicide.It is critical to seek help as soon as possible.
Resources that may help you include:
Summary
An eating disorder is a serious medical condition that affects physical and mental health. It is not a choice and can be life-threatening if left untreated. Common types of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Binge eating disorder is the most common type of eating disorder in the United States. Other types of eating disorders include avoidant restrictive food intake disorder and other specified feeding and eating disorders.
Eating disorders are most common in young people assigned female at birth but can affect people of all ages, genders, races, ethnicities, and body weights. Eating disorders can cause serious medical complications and need to be treated as soon as possible. See your healthcare provider if you are concerned that you may be experiencing disordered eating or an eating disorder.
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders: about more than food.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Disordered eating.Feng B, Harms J, Chen E, Gao P, Xu P, He Y.Current discoveries and future implications of eating disorders.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(14):6325. doi:10.3390/ijerph20146325Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Types of eating disorders.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Eating disorders.MedlinePlus.Eating disorders.Nemours Teens Health.Eating disorders (for teens).National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders.American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Eating disorders in teens.Uchôa FNM, Uchôa NM, Daniele TMDC, et al.Influence of the mass media and body dissatisfaction on the risk in adolescents of developing eating disorders.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(9):1508. doi:10.3390/ijerph16091508
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders: about more than food.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Disordered eating.Feng B, Harms J, Chen E, Gao P, Xu P, He Y.Current discoveries and future implications of eating disorders.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(14):6325. doi:10.3390/ijerph20146325Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Types of eating disorders.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Eating disorders.MedlinePlus.Eating disorders.Nemours Teens Health.Eating disorders (for teens).National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders.American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Eating disorders in teens.Uchôa FNM, Uchôa NM, Daniele TMDC, et al.Influence of the mass media and body dissatisfaction on the risk in adolescents of developing eating disorders.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(9):1508. doi:10.3390/ijerph16091508
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders: about more than food.Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Disordered eating.Feng B, Harms J, Chen E, Gao P, Xu P, He Y.Current discoveries and future implications of eating disorders.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(14):6325. doi:10.3390/ijerph20146325Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Types of eating disorders.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Eating disorders.MedlinePlus.Eating disorders.Nemours Teens Health.Eating disorders (for teens).National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders.American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Eating disorders in teens.Uchôa FNM, Uchôa NM, Daniele TMDC, et al.Influence of the mass media and body dissatisfaction on the risk in adolescents of developing eating disorders.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(9):1508. doi:10.3390/ijerph16091508
National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders: about more than food.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Disordered eating.
Feng B, Harms J, Chen E, Gao P, Xu P, He Y.Current discoveries and future implications of eating disorders.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(14):6325. doi:10.3390/ijerph20146325
Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Types of eating disorders.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Eating disorders.
MedlinePlus.Eating disorders.
Nemours Teens Health.Eating disorders (for teens).
National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Eating disorders in teens.
Uchôa FNM, Uchôa NM, Daniele TMDC, et al.Influence of the mass media and body dissatisfaction on the risk in adolescents of developing eating disorders.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(9):1508. doi:10.3390/ijerph16091508
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