The Facts About Eating Disorders

Some people may have preconceived notions about what an eating disorder looks like and what type of people are predisposed to them. The truth is eating disorders affect women, men, children, and people of all different genders, races, ethnicities, sexualities and religions—not to mention individuals with differing body shapes and sizes. Eating disorders affect the mind and the body, and if left untreated, they can cause serious consequences.

It's estimated about 20 million women and 10 million men in America will suffer from an eating disorder during their lifetime, according to national surveys. Understanding facts about these conditions is an important first step in learning how to identify them and realizing the importance of seeking treatment as soon as possible.

An eating disorder is a serious mental and physical condition characterized by abnormal eating habits and thoughts and feelings toward food, eating and physical shape and size. Eating disorders can involve extreme food restriction and excessive exercise, binge eating and purging by self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives.

Living with an eating disorder can cause emotional turmoil and affect every aspect of life, from a person's ability to carry out daily responsibilities to socializing and having a healthy sex life. Physically, disordered eating can make it difficult for the body to get proper nourishment, which can lead to problems with the heart, bones, digestive system and oral health. In severe cases, eating disorders can be fatal.

Treating an eating disorder as early as possible increases the chances of achieving lasting recovery, and can help an individual reduce or avoid serious psychological and physical complications. Recognizing potential signs of an eating disorder can give you the tools necessary to recognize disordered eating so you can seek help.

Warning signs that someone is struggling with an eating disorder include:

• Eating despite feeling uncomfortably full and feeling guilt or shame about it
• Excessive exercise
• Excessive focus on food and eating
• Feeling depressed, anxious, disgusted or shameful about eating habits
• Frequently weighing yourself and looking in the mirror to check body weight and appearance
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Restrictive dieting or skipping meals
• Withdrawing from social settings where food is involved
• Misusing laxatives, diuretics and herbal supplements in an attempt to lose weight or prevent weight gain
• Tooth decay as a result of repeated self-induced vomiting

Experts are still unsure about the exact causes of eating disorders, though it's widely believed a combination of genetics, biology, and psychological and emotional health play a factor. According to Mayo Clinic, changes in brain chemicals may play a role in the development of eating disorders, while low self-esteem, perfectionism, impulsive behavior and having troubled relationships may put an individual at greater risk for developing an eating disorder over time.

Statistics indicate teenage girls and young women are at the highest risk for anorexia and bulimia. However, a significant number of boys and men struggle with an eating disorder as well.

Here are some factors that can put you at a higher risk for developing an eating disorder:

• Certain mental health conditions. Experts have found people with a history of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or depression are more likely to develop an eating disorder.
• Dieting. People with a history of dieting have a higher chance of developing an eating disorder. This is partly because food restriction and starvation impact the brain and overall mood, making a person more vulnerable to reduced appetite, anxiety and restrictive eating habits.
• Family history. If you have a parent or sibling who has had an eating disorder, you're significantly more likely to develop one yourself.
• Stress. Individuals under extreme or prolonged stress are at increased risk for an eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are the most common types of eating disorders.

People who suffer from anorexia are typically severely underweight and highly restrictive with their food intake. Anorexia is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight. Sufferers often exercise excessively, abuse laxatives, diuretics and herbal supplements, and can sometimes make themselves vomit to avoid weight gain. People with anorexia often abide by strict rules for food intake and lifestyle as a way to maintain a false sense of control in their lives.

Similar to people with anorexia, individuals with bulimia nervosa may force themselves to vomit, misuse laxatives and diuretics, and exercise excessively. The primary difference between the disorders is that anorexia involves severe food restriction whereas people with bulimia nervosa engage in these behaviors after binge eating. In addition, people with anorexia nervosa have significantly low body weight compared to what is expected, while those with bulimia nervosa may appear to have appropriate or even too much weight.

Sufferers of binge eating disorder overeat despite a lack of hunger or already being uncomfortably full. This disorder doesn't involve purging or overcompensating for binges through exercise or other measures, though binges are often followed by intense feelings of shame, disgust, regret and guilt about bingeing.

Experts suggest binge eating disorder develops as an unhealthy coping mechanism for other conditions such as anxiety, depression, fear, anger and loneliness, to name a few.

If you think you may be struggling with an eating disorder, talk to your doctor about your concerns immediately.

When diagnosing an eating disorder, your doctor considers your symptoms and eating habits, and may perform a few tests. You may also be referred to a mental health professional who can consult the diagnostic criteria in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), to see what kind of disorder corresponds to your symptoms.

The tests that may be performed on you include:

• Physical exam. A physical exam is necessary to ensure any eating issues aren't being caused by other health problems. Additionally, this exam can help your doctor determine whether you are suffering from any health complications due to the disorder. There may be some blood tests to rule out these complications.
• Psychological evaluation. The psychological evaluation can be performed by either a doctor or mental health professional to assess your thoughts and feelings and how they affect your eating habits. In some cases, your doctor may have you fill out a self-assessment as well.

Eating disorder recovery may look different for each person, though it generally includes a combination of medical help, psychotherapy, nutritional education and emotional support. In cases where a person's life is in immediate danger due to their eating disorder, hospitalization is necessary so their health can be stabilized before long-term treatment begins.

NEDA offers a list of resources to help find treatment. If you're struggling with an eating disorder, seek help right away.

Our current cultural context is not conducive or forgiving for anyone not conforming to the popular idea of the "perfect body shape." Like it or not, we live in a society where diet culture is front and center, and we are inundated with edited photos of unrealistic bodies on social media and in mainstream media and advertisements.

It's no surprise that individuals, particularly ones with eating disorders, may find themselves feeling triggered to engage in disordered behavior in an attempt to live up to an unobtainable and constantly changing physical ideal.

According to an article by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), a trigger in the context of an eating disorder can be defined as "something that sets off cravings in recovering individuals."

Triggers are unique to each individual, but some common ones include:

• Emotional discontent or distress
• Environment
• Receiving comments from others about your weight, physical shape or appearance 
• Social pressure

The best way to ensure your triggers don't control you and undermine your recovery is to identify your triggers. Once you've done that, you can use the awareness to better recognize when you are feeling triggered. When these moments arise, leaning on your support system and taking the necessary measures to take care of yourself can help you respond with a healthier strategy.

Hormones play an important role in regulating mood and hunger. Some researchers believe hormones can potentially play a role in the development of eating disorders.

Here are some known links between hormones and eating habits:

• Increased rates of binge eating have been linked to the fluctuation of ovarian hormones throughout the menstrual cycle.
• When the body is stressed, it releases a hormone called cortisol. Some experts believe people are more inclined to indulge in hyperpalatable foods to cope with stress. Increased stress has been correlated with a higher propensity to consume caloric-dense foods and an increased risk for obesity.

Ultimately, experts acknowledge there are hormonal links to eating disorders, with the caveat that these links do not provide the whole picture. When treating eating disorders, taking a holistic view, which includes all the factors that can impact a person's eating habits and attitudes toward eating, is vital.

Eating disorders can lead to many health complications, such as heart problems. In fact, medical experts at Northwestern Medicine—the nonprofit healthcare system affiliated with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago—report that heart damage is the most common reason for hospitalization among people with anorexia nervosa and eating disorders in general. This condition occurs because a lack of nutrients can cause the heart to shrink and become weaker, making it incapable of providing adequate blood circulation. This scenario can lead to heart failure or death.

Heart complications may also arise as a result of repeated, self-induced vomiting because of the increased pressure put on the heart during purging. Additionally, people who become overweight or obese because of binge eating disorder may develop heart problems due to the increased strain they experience during physical activity.

There's a common misconception that eating disorders affect only young white women and teen girls. However, recent research challenges that idea as experts have found eating disorders affect people across socioeconomic and cultural spectrums.

An array of studies, surveys and reviews have shown that eating disorders are more common among the LGBTQIA+ community.

Educating yourself is a great first step toward supporting someone with an eating disorder. Resources offered by organizations such as NEDA and the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) are good places to start your learning.

Of course, everyone's experience with an eating disorder is unique, so be open to listening to your loved one's experiences and struggles. Let them know you're prepared to listen judgment-free, but try to understand it may take time for them to fully open up.

If someone in your life has an eating disorder, encourage them to seek help. While you can provide them with emotional support, eating disorders require treatment from medical and mental health professionals to avoid severe complications. If they're feeling overwhelmed with the idea of pursuing recovery, offer to help connect them with professionals.

Eating disorders can cause physiological and psychological problems that affect sexual health. For example, experts report that prolonged low weight can cause sex hormone levels (testosterone in men and estrogen in women) to drop, causing sex drive levels and overall sexual responsiveness to plummet.

Sufferers may experience low self-esteem and body dysmorphia, both of which can make pursuing sexual activity less desirable. Eating disorders have also been linked to increased rates of erectile dysfunction (ED). Fortunately, when an eating disorder is effectively treated, the intimacy problems it caused typically go away.

"Pregorexia" is a colloquial term that refers to eating disorders that persist through pregnancy. It's important to note women with no history of an eating disorder can develop one during pregnancy as a result of being triggered by pregnancy weight gain.

Additionally, women in remission from an eating disorder may find pregnancy is an unpredictable time, reinforcing healthy eating habits for some and leading to a resurgence of disordered eating habits in others.

If you're pregnant and struggling with an eating disorder, seek professional help and lean on your support system without fear of judgment. Taking the first step is the hardest, but it's the first toward protecting the health of you and the baby.

Which eating disorder is the most serious?

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are the most common eating disorders. All eating disorders can be severe and life-threatening when left untreated. If you're struggling with an eating disorder, contact the National Eating Disorders Association helpline for support, resources and treatment options. Call or text 800-931-2237.

What qualifies as an eating disorder?

The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), outlines the diagnostic criteria for each eating disorder. However, it's possible to struggle with disordered eating without meeting the criteria for a specific disorder.

If you suspect you or a loved one are struggling with an eating disorder, seek professional medical help immediately.

What are the most common eating disorders?

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are the most common eating disorders.

If you have anorexia, you are typically severely underweight and highly restrictive with food intake. Anorexia is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight. Sufferers may exercise excessively, abuse laxatives, diuretics and herbal supplements, and sometimes make themselves vomit to avoid weight gain.

Similar to anorexia, individuals with bulimia nervosa may force themselves to vomit, misuse laxatives and diuretics, and exercise excessively. However, people with bulimia nervosa typically engage in these behaviors only after binge eating.

If you have binge eating disorder, you are more likely to overeat rapidly even if you're not hungry or are already uncomfortably full. This disorder doesn't involve purging or overcompensating for binges through exercise or other measures, though binges are often followed by intense feelings of shame, disgust, regret and guilt.