6 Common Types Of Eating Disorders Explained

A Quick Guide

Eating disorders regardless of how they are named are more than just about food. They are complex mental health conditions that can lead to serious problems in a person’s life if left untreated. An estimated 28 million people in the US alone either currently experience or have experienced an eating disorder. This article lists six of the most common types of eating disorders along with their signs and symptoms.

Understanding Eating Disorders

People of different ages, genders, nationalities, and origins can suffer from eating disorders. People with eating disorders engage in disordered eating patterns as a coping mechanism for challenging circumstances or emotions. This behavior can involve restricting the amount of food consumed, eating a lot of food at once, adopting unhealthy methods to get rid of it (such as trying to make themselves sick, abusing laxatives, fasting, or engaging in excessive activity), or a combination of these methods.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that eating disorders are more about feelings than just the actual food. And although a person might not even be aware of it, the way they handle food may help them feel more in control or like they can handle things better.

Different types of eating disorders can be identified, allowing medical practitioners to decide on the best course of treatment for a patient. Because there is sometimes a lot of overlap between various eating disorders, a person may switch diagnoses if their symptoms change.

What are the typical signs of an eating disorder?

Although the signs of different eating disorders vary, all of them involve an excessive focus on problems with food and eating, and some of them also entails an obsessive concern about weight. It could be challenging to concentrate on other aspects of one’s life because of this obsession with food and weight.

Behavioral and mental symptoms could be:

• A major decrease in weight.
• Confining and severely limiting the kinds and quantities of food ingested.
• Continuously weighing oneself.
• Creating dietary rituals.
• Denying the need to eat.
• Exercising too much.
• Extreme anxiety about gaining weight or getting “fat”.
• Habits of purging and binge eating.
• Justifications for skipping meals.
• Missing menstrual cycles (in people who usually menstruate).
• Obsession with dieting, food, calories, or fat intake.
• Preparing food for others but not eating themselves.
• Putting on extra layers to stay warm or cover up weight loss.
• Refusing to consume particular meals.
• Rejecting the need for food.
• Symptoms of diarrhea, cold sensitivity, tummy aches, fatigue, or excessive energy.
• The fear of eating in public.
• To indicate a desire to “burn off” calories.

Learn more about how OCD is related to Eating Disorders.

Physical symptoms could be:

• A compromised immune system.
• Abnormal lab test outcomes (anemia, low thyroid levels, low hormone levels, low potassium, low blood cell counts, slow heart rate).
• Difficulties staying focused.
• Dizziness.
• Fainting.
• Hair loss.
• Having a constant cold feeling.
• Inconsistent sleep patterns.
• Irregular menstrual periods.
• Muscular weakness.
• Poorly healing wounds.
• Stomach pains and other digestive issues.
• The finger joints’ tops are covered in calluses (a sign of inducing vomiting).
• Thin nails and dry skin.

What causes eating disorders?

According to experts, several variables may be responsible for eating disorders. Genetics is one of them. Some people are more likely to acquire an eating disorder if they have a sibling or parent who already does. Another influence is personality characteristics. Studies suggest three personality qualities in particular are frequently connected to an increased risk of having an eating disorder: neuroticism, perfectionism, and impulsivity. The perceived pressure to be thin, cultural desires for thinness, and media exposure that promotes these ideals are other potential factors.

More recently, specialists have suggested that variations in biology and brain structure may contribute to the emergence of eating disorders. Serotonin and dopamine concentrations in particular may have a role in this. Though of course, more research is required when it comes to the biological reasons behind eating disorders.

Common types of eating disorders

Even while eating disorders are a series of closely linked problems characterized by excessive food and weight issues, each type of disorder has its own set of symptoms and diagnostic standards. The symptoms of the six most common types of eating disorders are discussed below.

Anorexia Nervosa

The characteristics of anorexia nervosa are self-starvation, weight loss, and reduced size for a person’s age. In terms of mental diagnoses, anorexia which can be extremely serious has the highest fatality rate outside of opioid use disorder. In an adult with anorexia nervosa, the body mass index, or BMI, which measures weight with height, is often less than 18.5. 

Severe fear of putting on weight or getting fat motivates the practice of dieting in anorexia nervosa. Even while some people with anorexia claim they want to gain weight and are striving to do so, their actions do not support this claim. For instance, they might only consume a limited number of low-calorie foods and engage in strenuous physical activity. Some people who suffer from anorexia nervosa also occasionally binge eat and/or purge by vomiting or abusing laxatives.

Anorexia nervosa has two variations:

• Binge-eating/purging type, in which people also indulge in periodic binge eating and/or purging behaviors. 
• Restricting type, in which people lose weight largely through dieting, fasting, or intense exercise.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder ARFID

People who have this disorder have problematic eating because they are either not interested in eating or dislike particular tastes, scents, colors, textures, or temperatures.

Typical signs of ARFID include:

• Eating habits that make it difficult to participate in common social activities, like sharing meals with others.
• Nutritional deficits, supplement use, or tube feeding.
• Restricting or avoiding food intake to stop getting sufficient calories or nutrients.
• Weight loss or inadequate growth for one’s age and height.

It’s vital to remember that ARFID extends beyond typical behaviors like a toddler’s fussy eating or an older person’s reduced food intake. It also excludes avoiding or restricting foods because of a shortage or because of cultural or religious customs.

Binge Eating Disorder

People with binge eating disorder suffer periods of binge eating in which they ingest huge amounts of food in a short period, feel as though they have no control over their eating, and are upset by that behavior. This is similar to bulimia nervosa. But unlike those who have bulimia nervosa, they don’t frequently resort to compensatory measures like fasting, exercising, or abusing laxatives to get rid of the food. Chronic binge eating can cause major health issues like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular illnesses. An individual may binge frequently at least once per week for three months and feel out of control to be diagnosed with a binge eating disorder.

Bulimia Nervosa

People with bulimia nervosa frequently alternate between dieting, or eating only low-calorie “safe meals,” with binge eating on “forbidden,” high-calorie foods. Binge eating is characterized by consuming a huge quantity of food quickly and feeling as though one has no control over what or how much they are eating. The behavior of binge eating is typically hidden and accompanied by emotions of guilt or humiliation. Food is often consumed quickly during binges and beyond the point of fullness, which can cause nausea and discomfort.

At least once a week, binges happen, and they’re usually followed by “compensatory actions” meant to stop weight gain. Fasting, throwing up, abusing laxatives, or compulsive exercising are a few examples. Similar to anorexia nervosa, those who suffer from bulimia nervosa are too obsessed with concerns of food, weight, or body shape, which negatively affects their sense of worth. Since people who suffer from bulimia may not appear to be underweight and their behaviors are usually hidden, family members and friends can continue to be unaware of their condition.

Pica

Eating things that are not deemed to be food and have no nutritional value is termed pica, a form of an eating disorder. Non-food items including ice, mud, soil, chalk, soap, paper, hair, fabric, wool, pebbles, laundry detergent, or cornstarch are also sought by these people. Pica can happen to adults, kids, and teenagers. People with intellectual disabilities, developmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD, and other mental health disorders like schizophrenia are the ones who experience it the most frequently. A higher risk of poisoning, infections, gut injuries, and nutritional deficits may also exist in these people. Pica might be lethal, depending on what is ingested. Pica must not, however, be a common practice in a person’s culture or religion for the disease to be recognized as such. Additionally, a person’s peers must not regard it as socially acceptable behavior.

Rumination disorder

Another recently discovered eating disorder is rumination disorder. It explains a condition in which an individual regurgitates food that they have already digested and swallowed. They then re-chew the food and either re-swallow it or spit it out. Usually, this ruminating starts during the first 30 minutes following a meal. This condition may appear in a baby, child, or adult. It often develops between 3 and 12 months of age in infants and frequently goes away on its own. Rumination disorder in babies, if left untreated, can lead to severe malnutrition and weight loss, both of which are potentially fatal. Adults suffering from this disease might limit how much they consume, especially in public. They might lose weight as a result and get underweight.

How are eating disorders treated?

Individualized eating disorder treatment programs usually combine several therapies and are customized to the condition of the client with different types of eating disorders. Regular doctor visits and talk therapy are also part of the course of treatment. Early treatment for eating disorders is crucial because there is a substantial risk of both medical consequences and suicide. Options for treatment include:

Psychotherapy

To help lessen or get rid of disordered behavior including binge eating, purging, and restricting, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT may be suggested. CBT entails learning to identify and alter incorrect or harmful thought processes. This may be done individually or in a group setting depending on what the client is comfortable with.

Medication

To help treat an eating disorder or other illnesses that may occur concurrently, such as depression or anxiety, a doctor may recommend treatment with drugs such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers.

Nutritional therapy

If a person has undergone major weight changes, this may also include restoring or regulating that person’s weight. This requires working with a dietician to understand optimal nutrition and eating habits. According to studies, integrating nutritional counseling with cognitive behavior therapy may greatly enhance therapeutic results.

Outlook for people with eating disorders

When it comes to eating disorders, a lot of the issues are rooted back in shame which can make someone feel like they have to hide their struggles. It is important to understand how much different types of eating disorders can have an impact on not only our minds but also our physical health. In the end, even though it is difficult to be going through such circumstances, you should know that there is treatment available. In fact, several mental health professionals specialize in the treatment of eating disorders. 

We hope you found this article useful in learning more about the common types of eating disorders along with their symptoms and treatment options.

Check out our other article: Understanding Types Of Food Phobias & Their Treatment