Eating Disorders: Types, Signs, and Symptoms

In honor of Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2024, this article will discuss the diagnoses that fall under the “eating disorder” umbrella and their common signs and symptoms. Although eating disorders are often portrayed in the media as a “girl thing” and therefore nothing too serious, these are life-threatening conditions that require treatment to remit. In fact, Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric diagnosis. 

All eating disorders are defined by unhealthy eating habits, and they often start with intense focus or obsession on body size, weight, and/or food. Although they are most commonly diagnosed in women, people of all genders and ages can be affected, and the rates of eating disorders in men and children are on the rise. Despite these commonalities, the different subtypes of eating disorders present in distinct ways. Read on to learn more about eating disorder diagnoses and their symptoms.  

Anorexia Nervosa (AN), the most well-known and deadly eating disorder, is characterized by:

• Very restricted eating patterns.

• Distorted body image, such as believing oneself as much larger than one really is.

• Intense fear of gaining weight.

• Refusal to maintain a healthy weight.

• Obsessive-Compulsive traits or features such as strict rituals about eating and obsessive thoughts about body image. 

• Eventual damage to the body, including an inability to stay warm, thinning of the bones, hair, and nails, and infertility. 

Bulimia Nervosa (BN) is characterized by:

• Binge-purge eating patterns, in which the sufferer eats an unusually large amount of food in a short time (binge) and then attempts to compensate by exercising excessively, vomiting, or using laxatives or diuretics (purge).

• Feeling of lack of control over binge episodes. 

• Intense fear of gaining weight and extreme focus on body image.

• Eventual damage to the body including dental damage, acid reflux, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and throat pain. 

Binge Eating Disorder (BED), the most common eating disorder, is characterized by:

• Eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time (binging), often in secret.

• Feeling a lack of control, shame, and distress about binge behaviors. 

• No use of compensatory strategies like caloric restriction, vomiting, or excessive exercise. 

• Often comorbid with other mood disorders such as depression.

• Increased risk of diabetes and heart conditions due to weight gain.

Pica refers to consumption of non-edible items such as ice, soap, cornstarch, paint chips, and more. This eating disorder is typically seen in people who also experience another disorder that interferes with their daily functioning such as intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. People with pica are at increased risk of infection, illness, or not meeting regular caloric intake. Pica, like all eating disorders, is a treatable condition and typically responds particularly well to behavioral therapy. 

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder is typically diagnosed in children and involves restricted eating due to disinterest or aversion to tastes, textures, smells, etc. This goes beyond picky eaters - those with this eating disorder may not be motivated by the pursuit for thinness, but their eating habits nonetheless often result in weight loss and slowed development. 

Purging Disorder involves the purging behaviors seen in Bulimia Nervosa (vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use) without any binging episodes. 

Night Eating Syndrome involves binge eating at night, often after waking up after sleeping, and often with an uncontrolled feeling. 

Other Specified Feeding Or Eating Disorder is a diagnosis that covers eating problems that do not fit the strict diagnostic criteria of the above disorders. 

As you can see, there’s a lot more to eating disorders than just anorexia. All of these conditions should be taken seriously and usually require treatment to resolve. If you’re concerned that you or a loved one may be experiencing an eating disorder, consider using this quick screener: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/screening-tool/. Other resources include the ANAD (Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders) Hotline at (888) 375-7767 and of course, mental health therapy. 

References 

Petre, A. (2022, May 18). Learn about 6 common types of eating disorders and their symptoms. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-eating-disorders#other-types