What are the different types of eating disorders?
An eating disorder is to eat, or avoid eating, which negatively affects both one’s physical and mental health. Eating disorders are all encompassing. They affect every part of the person’s life. According to the authors of Surviving an Eating Disorder, “feelings about work, school, relationships, day-to-day activities and one’s experience of emotional well being are determined by what has or has not been eaten or by a number on a scale.”[1] Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most common eating disorders generally recognized by medical classification schemes,[2] with a significant diagnostic overlap between the two.[3] Together, they affect an estimated 5-7% of females in the United States during their lifetimes.[4] There is a third type of eating disorder currently being investigated and defined – Binge Eating Disorder. This is a chronic condition that occurs when an individual consumes huge amounts of food during a brief period of time and feels totally out of control and un
– anorexia – extreme starvation, often accompanied by a fear of calories and weight gain, extreme weight loss, refusal to maintain a normal bodyweight and a distorted body image – bulimia – a cycle of binging (eating excessive amounts of food in a short period of time) and purging (vomiting or otherwise attempting to compensate for caloreis consumed, sometimes through methods of excessive exercise, laxatives, diuretics, or restriction of calories) – eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) – an eating disorder which does not qualify as anorexia or bulimia but has resulted in extreme weight loss, amenhorrhea, episodes of binging or binging and/or other abnormal eating habits -compulsive overeating – need to constantly consume food, often resulting in obesity – binge eating disorder – characterized by episodes of binging, without attempts to compensate for calories consumed – compulsive overexercising – extreme, unnecessary exercise, often accompanied by a fear of weight gain, ina
