An eating disorder is a mental health condition. It is an obsession with food and weight that harms a person’s emotional and physical well-being. Many people worry about their weight. People who have an eating disorder go to extremes to keep from gaining weight. The 3 most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge-eating.
Anorexia nervosa is an illness that usually occurs in teenage girls. It also can occur in teenage boys, and in adult women and men. People who have anorexia are obsessed with being thin. They don’t want to eat. They are afraid of gaining weight. They may constantly worry about how many calories they consume or how much fat is in their food. They may take diet pills, laxatives, or water pills to lose weight. They may exercise too much.
People who have anorexia usually think they’re fat even though they’re very thin. They may get so thin that they look like they’re sick. Anorexia isn’t just a problem with food or weight. It’s an attempt to use food and weight to deal with emotional problems.
Bulimia is eating an unusual amount of food at once (called bingeing), and then getting rid of it. This includes throwing up or using laxatives to remove the food from the body (called purging). After a binge, some bulimics fast (don’t eat) or over-exercise to keep from gaining weight. People who have bulimia may also use water pills, laxatives, or diet pills to “control” their weight. People who have bulimia often try to hide their bingeing and purging. They may hide food for binges. People who have bulimia are usually close to normal weight, but their weight may go up and down.
Binge eating disorder is eating an excessive amount of food at once and not purging it. People who have a binge eating disorder are typically overweight or obese. It is the most common eating disorder in the U.S.
- Unnatural concern about body weight (even if the person is not overweight).
- Obsession with calories, fat grams, and food.
- Using any medicines to keep from gaining weight (diet pills, laxatives, water pills).
- Eating large amounts of food at one setting (and being overweight or obese).
More serious warning signs may be harder to notice because people who have an eating disorder try to keep it secret. Watch for these signs:
- Throwing up after meals.
- Fainting with no explanation.
- Increased anxiety about weight.
- Calluses or scars on the knuckle (from forced throwing up).
- Denying that there is anything wrong.
- Deliberate self-starvation with weight loss.
- Fear of gaining weight.
- Refusal to eat or skipping meals.
- Denial of hunger.
- Wearing baggy clothes.
- Constant exercising.
- Greater amounts of hair on the body or the face.
- Sensitivity to cold temperatures.
- Absent or irregular periods in girls or women.
- Loss of scalp hair.
- A self-perception of being fat when the person is really too thin.
- Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as a 2-hour period.
- Eating even when you’re full or not hungry.
- Eating fast while binging.
- Eating until you’re painfully full or sick.
- Eating alone or in secret because you’re embarrassed.
- Feeling stressed, ashamed, or guilty when binging.
- Trying to diet on occasion without success.
You must be logged in to post a comment.