Eating Disorders Explained

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia is characterized by a distorted body image, with an unwarranted fear of being overweight. Symptoms include trying to maintain a below-normal weight through starvation or too much exercise.

Anorexia Athletica

Is characterized by excessive and compulsive exercising behaviors to either compensate for their eating or give themselves permissions to eat. The methodologies are similar to Anorexia as it may be motivated by distorted body image and/or a desire to change the size, shape or weight.

Binge eating disorder (BED)

Is one of the most common forms of eating Disorders. It is characterized by the recurrent episodes of consuming unusually large quantities of food and feel unable to stop eating to the point of great discomfort.

Bulimia Nervosa

Is characterized by a distortion of body image and an obsessive desire to lose weight, in which bouts of extreme overeating are followed by depression and self-induced vomiting, purging, or fasting.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

Is similar to anorexia as both conditions involve intense restriction on the amount of food and types of food the person allows to be eaten. Unlike anorexia, people with ARFID worry about their body image, shape or size.

Orthorexia

Although not yet an official diagnosis, orthorexia is the fixation on "clean" or "healthy" eating. Restricting or cutting out entirely specific food types and constant worry about the quality of the food and ingredients.

Pica

Is characterized by an abnormal desire to eat non-food items that do not contain significant nutritional value such as chalk or grass.

Other specified feeding and eating disorder (OSFED)

This category may present with symptoms of other eating disorders but will not meet the full criteria for diagnosis. This could present with disturbed eating habits and/or body dysmorphia or over evaluation of shape and size coupled with an intense fear of gaining weight.

****THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST****