What are eating disorders?

Eating disorders are medical illnesses that involve extreme emotions, attitudes and behaviors focusing on weight and food issues. These issues can significantly impact the health status of affected individuals and, in some cases, may be potentially life-threatening.

The three categories of eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia and eating disorders not otherwise specified. This last group includes binge-eating disorder and night-eating syndrome. Individuals who may have any of these eating disorders should be evaluated and treated by a team of professionals that can address their individual medical, emotional and nutritional requirements.

Eating disorders are conditions that cause a person to have unhealthy thoughts and behaviors related to food and body image.

Some people with eating disorders severely restrict their food intake (anorexia nervosa), while others eat excessively (binge eating disorder or compulsive overeating). They may also vomit, take laxatives, or exercise excessively to try to prevent weight gain (bulimia nervosa).

The cause of eating disorders is not clear, but experts believe that it is related to a number of physical, psychological, cultural, and social factors. Eating disorders are most common in teenage girls and young women, but they can occur at any age and in both sexes.

People who have eating disorders may develop health problems, such as dehydration and malnutrition. Eating disorders also increase a person's risk of other health problems related to a poor diet. These other health problems can include menstrual period changes, thinning of the bones (osteoporosis) and, in severe cases, heart and other organ problems.

Eating disorders are treated primarily with counseling. Sometimes medicines also are used.

Eating disorders are illnesses that cause a person to adopt harmful eating habits. They are most common among teenage girls and women, and frequently occur along with other psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders. The poor nutrition associated with eating disorders may harm organs in the body and, in severe cases, may lead to death.

An eating disorder is usually triggered by one or more events. Causes may range from a person's parents getting divorced, to emotional or sexual abuse, to a traumatic life-threatening event. After the person sufferers from a traumatic event similar to the above-mentioned examples, a trigger can initiate the disorder. A trigger can be a person commenting negatively on weight or appearance or exposure to the media or thin models and actresses. Once a trigger is introduced, the sufferer's energy is focused on food and weight and what starts out as a diet slowly escalates to a way of regaining control over situation.

Eating disorders commonly affect adolescent girls, but the number of males that suffer from these disorders is on the rise. These disorders can have their onset at any point in a person's life. It is important to understand that an eating disorder is not meant to be a weight loss tool, but often occurs as a way to cope with an underlying problem.

You should read product labels, and discuss all therapies with a qualified healthcare provider. Natural Standard information does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Most people don't realize that there are FOUR types of eating disorders. They are: Binge Eating Disorder (or BED), Anorexia Nervosa (or ANOREXIA), Bulimia Nervosa (or BULIMIA) and Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (or EDNOS).

All four types of eating disorders are serious, biological illnesses and in most cases require treatment by specialists in the field of eating disorders.

One myth that we help to eradicate in many clinical training programs as well as in schools is that a person can just make his or herself "eat" if they want to... or "stop eating" (in the case of a binge eater). They cannot.

Eating disorders are not a matter of will.

They are serious and extremely complex biologically based illnesses. 

The good news is that we know that individuals can enjoy a full recovery from eating disorders the earlier they get into treatment.

Learn more at www.normal-life.org.