Eating Disorders
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Warning Signs
Eating disorders are treatable illnesses that involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. Below are descriptions and general warning signs for the three most common eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by severe weight loss (or failure to gain weight in young people).Weight is lost or restricted through a variety of methods, including severe caloric restrictions; fasting; relentless exercise; use of over-the-counter diet aids, diuretics and laxatives and, in some cases, self-induced vomiting. Individuals with anorexia nervosa are determined to become thin and have an intense, irrational fear of becoming fat, both of which often increase as weight is lost.Other signs to watch for:
- Signs of restricted eating, such as severe diets or fasting
- Weight loss (often in a short period of time)
- Odd food rituals, such as counting bites of food, cutting food into tiny pieces or preparing food for others while refusing to eat
- Intense fear of becoming fat, regardless of low weight
- Fear of food and situations where food may be present
- Dressing in layers to hide weight loss
- Cessation of menstruation without physiological cause
- aleness, dizziness and/or fainting spells
- Complaints of feeling cold
- Mood shifts and social withdrawal
For additional information about anorexia nervosa, visit the meritcare.com health library.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa consists of binge-eating, followed by some form of purging and/or severe dietary restraint. While self-induced vomiting is often associated with bulimia nervosa, other types of purging may include the abuse of laxatives, other diuretics and/or diet pills; fasting or strenuous exercise. Watch for:
- Binge Eating
- Secretive eating, evidenced by missing food
- Preoccupation with and constant talk about food and/or weight gain
- Self-disparagement when too much has been eaten
- Bathroom visits after meals
- Fear of being fat, regardless of weight
- Swollen glands, puffiness in the cheeks or broken blood vessels in the eyes
- Complaints of sore throats, fatigue or muscle ache
- Frequent weight fluctuations
- Unexplained tooth decay
For additional information about bulimia nervosa, visit the meritcare.com health library.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder involves recurrent episodes of binge eating without the purging seen in bulimia nervosa. Most people with binge eating disorder have a long history of failed diets, suffer from varying degrees of obesity and report that their eating or weight interferes with personal relationships, work and their ability to feel good about themselves.
Other signs to watch for:
- Unstructured eating (eating throughout the day with no planned meal times)
- Eating until uncomfortably full or at times when not physically hungry
- Eating alone because of embarrassment about how much one is eating
- Eating little in public while maintaining a high weight
- Restricting activities due to embarrassment about weight
- Basing self-worth on weight and control of eating
- Social and professional failures attributed to weight
- Feeling tormented by eating habits
- Fantasizing about being a better person when thin
- Making weight the focus of life
For additional information about binge eating disorder, visit the meritcare.com health library.
If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or someone you love, contact your doctor.