What Are Eating Disorders?
In this post, we will define what eating disorders are, and then describe types of these eating disorders.
Eating disorders are serious illnesses associated with unhealthy and extreme eating behaviours. Persons with eating disorders tend to have distressing thoughts and emotions on food, and mainly depend on food to cope with stressful situations. They can become very serious illnesses impacting one’s psychological, social and physical function, and could be fatal. Persons with eating disorders tend to be obsessed with thoughts about food, body shape and weight. Eating disorders are considered more of psychological disorders than physical ones.
Essentially, all individuals are at risk of eating disorders but usually the teenagers and young adults tend to be at most risk. Young children on the other hand tend to be more of picky eaters than have eating disorders. Certain diagnostic criteria are usually used to classify one as suffering from any of these disorders.
Types Of Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa -This eating disorder is characterized by the desire to become thinner. Persons with this disorder have great fear of adding weight. In fact, they possess such intense fear that they engage in very restrictive eating, extreme dieting and excessive exercising. Individuals with anorexia tend to be extremely thin, below normal weight for height range.
Bulimia nervosa -This disorder involves recurring binge-eating followed by compensative behaviours (i.e. induced vomiting, extreme dieting or too much exercising) to prevent the gaining of weight. Persons with this condition generally consume significant portions of food within short periods(less than 2 hours) secretly, then compensate with fasting, laxative misuse, compulsive exercise or vomiting or a combination of either. Normally, persons with bulimia have normal weight or are slightly overweight.
Binge-eating –Similar to bulimia, binge-eating involves the eating of significant portions of food within short periods(less than 2 hours) until uncomfortably full; though, with binge-eating, there are no compensatory behaviours. As in, an individual will eat until uncomfortably full but will not engage in compensatory behaviours such as vomiting, excessive dieting or too much exercising. Normally, binge-eaters tend to be overweight or obese.
In succeeding posts, we will delve into more detail on the causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms and effects on the body for each eating disorder.