EATING DISORDER

What is an eating disorder?

An eating disorder is a serious, complex, mental health issue that one’s affects emotional and physical health. People with eating disorders develop an unhealthy relationships with food, their weight or appearance. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder are all types of eating disorders.

Eating disorders are treatable. People with untreated eating disorders may develop life-threatening problems.

How common are eating disorders?

Approximately 20 million girls and women and 10 million boys and men in America have an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are caused by several complex factors including genetics, brain biology, personality, cultural and social ideals and mental health issues.

What are the types of eating disorders?

There are different types of eating disorders. Some people may have more than one type of eating disorder. Types include:

• Anorexia nervosa: People with anorexia nervosa greatly restrict food and calories sometimes to the point of self-starvation. You can have anorexia at any body size. It is characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight and a refusal to eat healthy amounts of food for your body type and activity level.
• Bulimia nervosa: People diagnosed with bulimia nervosa binge or eat, or perceive they ate, large amounts of food over a short time. Afterward, they may force themselves to purge the calories in some way such as vomiting, using laxatives or exercising excessively to rid their body of the food and calories.
• Binge eating disorder (BED): People who have a binge eating disorder experience compulsory eating behaviors. They eat, or perceive that they have eaten, large amounts of food in a short period of time. However, after binging they don’t purge food or burn off calories with exercise. Instead, they feel uncomfortably full and may struggle with shame, regret, guilt or depression.