Overview of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a group of mental health disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits. The most common types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and a refusal to maintain a healthy body weight. People with anorexia may severely restrict their food intake, engage in excessive exercise, and may have a distorted perception of their body size and shape.

Bulimia nervosa is a disorder characterized by recurring episodes of binge-eating followed by purging behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, or excessive exercise. People with bulimia may also have a distorted body image and an intense fear of gaining weight.

Binge-eating disorder is a disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food, often in a short period of time, and feeling a lack of control over the eating behavior. People with binge-eating disorder may eat when they are not hungry and may eat alone because of embarrassment over the amount of food they are consuming.

Other types of eating disorders include pica, which is the persistent eating of non-food substances, and rumination disorder, which is the repeated regurgitation of food.

Eating disorders can have serious physical and mental health consequences, including malnutrition, gastrointestinal problems, and increased risk of suicide. Treatment often involves a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and nutritional counseling.