Description

Eating disorders are serious health conditions that affect both your physical and mental health. These conditions include problems in the way you think about food, eating, weight and shape, and in their eating behaviors. These symptoms can affect your health, your emotions and your ability to function in important areas of life.

If it is not treated effectively, eating disorders can become long-term problems and, in some cases, it can cause death. The most common eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.

Most eating disorders involve focusing too much on weight, body shape and food. This can lead to dangerous eating behaviors. These behaviors can seriously affect the ability to get the nutrition your body needs. Eating disorders can harm the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth and mouth. That can lead to other diseases. They are also linked with depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

With proper treatment, you can return to healthier eating habits and learn healthier ways of thinking about food and your body. You may also be able to reverse or reduce the serious problems caused by the eating disorder.

Symptoms

The symptoms vary, depending on the type of eating disorder. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder are the most common eating disorders. People with eating disorders can have all different body types and sizes.

Anorexia

Anorexia (an-o-REK-see-uh), also called anorexia nervosa, can have life-threatening eating disorder. Includes a sickly low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and a view of the weight and of a form that is not realistic. Anorexia often involves the use of extreme efforts to control the weight and shape, which often seriously interferes with the health, and daily life.

Anorexia can include severely limiting calories or cut certain types of food or food groups. You can involve other methods to lose weight, such as exercise too much, use of laxatives or diet, or vomiting after eating. Efforts to reduce weight can cause serious health problems, even for those who continue to eat throughout the day, or whose weight is not extremely low.

Bulimia

Bulimia (ta-LEE-me-uh), also called bulimia nervosa is a serious, sometimes life-threatening eating disorder. Bulimia includes episodes of binge eating, commonly followed by episodes of purging. Sometimes bulimia also includes severely limiting eating for periods of time. This often leads to stronger urges to binge eat and then purge.

Binge eating involves the consumption of food — sometimes a very large amount — in a short period of time. During binge eating, the people do not feel they have control over their eating and can't stop. After eating, due to the guilt, shame, or an intense fear of weight gain, the purge is done to get rid of the calories. The blowdown may include vomiting, exercise too much, not eating for a period of time, or the use of other methods, such as taking laxatives. Some people change the dose of your medicine, such as the change of the insulin amounts, to try to lose weight.

Bulimia involves also be concerned with the weight and shape of the body, with severe and harsh self-judgment of one's personal appearance.

The excessive consumption of eating disorder

The excessive consumption of eating disorder involves the consumption of food in a short period of time. When binge eating, it feels like there is no control over the eating. But binge eating is not followed by purging. During a binge, people can eat the food more quickly or eat more than planned. Even when not hungry, eating can continue for a long time past feeling uncomfortably full.

After a binge, people often feel a lot of guilt, disgust or shame. It may be that the fear of gaining weight. They can attempt to severely limit eating for periods of time. This leads to an increase of the same to the drunkenness, the configuration of an unhealthy cycle. Shame can lead to eating alone to hide from binging. A new round of binge eating commonly occurs at least once a week.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder includes extremely limited eating or not eating certain foods. The eating pattern often do not meet a minimum daily nutritional needs. This can lead to problems with growth, development, and functioning in daily life. But people with this disorder do not have a fear of gaining weight or body size. Instead of that, they may not be interested in the food, or you can avoid food with a certain color, texture, smell, or taste. Or they may worry about what can happen when you eat. For example, they may have a fear of choking or vomiting, or they may worry about getting stomach problems.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder can be diagnosed at all ages, but is most common in young children. The disorder can result in the loss of weight or lack of weight gain in childhood. The lack of proper nutrition can lead to significant health problems.

When to see a doctor

An eating disorder can be difficult to handle or overcome by yourself. Before you receive treatment, the more likely it is that you are going to make a full recovery. People can sometimes have problems eating behaviors that are similar to some of the symptoms of an eating disorder, but the symptoms do not meet the guidelines for the diagnosis of an eating disorder. But the problem of these eating behaviors still can severely affect the health and well-being.

If you have a problem eating behaviors that cause distress or affect his or her life or health, or if you think you have an eating disorder, seek medical help.

Encouraging a loved one to seek treatment

Many people with eating disorders may not think they need treatment. One of the main features of many disorders of the power supply is not realizing the severity of the symptoms. Also, the guilt and shame often prevents people from seeking help.

If you are worried about a friend or family member, encourage the person to talk with a health care provider. Even if that person is not ready to admit to having a problem with the food, you can start the discussion by expressing concern and the desire to hear.

Red flags that may suggest an eating disorder include:

  • Skipping meals or snacks or making excuses for not eating.
  • Having a very limited diet that has not been prescribed by a qualified medical professional.
  • Too much focus on the food or of eating healthy, especially if this means that it does not participate in regular events, such as sports banquet facilities, eating birthday cake, or eat out.
  • The realization of your own meals instead of eating what the family eats.
  • Check out usual social activities.
  • Frequent and ongoing concerns or complaints about it being unhealthy or overweight, and talk about the weight loss.
  • Frequent checking in the mirror of what we think are flaws.
  • Repeatedly eating large amounts of food.
  • The use of dietary supplements, laxatives or herbal products for weight loss.
  • Exercise a lot more than the average person. This includes not taking rest days or days off due to illness or injury, or refuse to attend social events or other events of the life because of their desire to exercise.
  • The calluses on the knuckles from getting to the fingers in the mouth to induce vomiting.
  • Problems with the loss of enamel of the teeth which may be a sign of repeated vomiting.
  • Leaving during meals or immediately after a meal to use the toilet.
  • Talk about depression, disgust, shame or guilt about eating habits.
  • Eating in secret.

If you are concerned that you or your child may have an eating disorder, contact a health care provider to talk about your concerns. If necessary, obtain a referral to a mental health provider with experience in eating disorders. Or if your insurance allows, contact an expert directly.

Causes

The exact cause of eating disorders is not known. As with other mental health conditions, there can be different causes, such as:

  • Genetics. Some people may have genes that increase the risk of developing eating disorders.
  • Biology. Biological factors, such as changes in the chemicals of the brain, may play a role in eating disorders.

Risk factors

Anyone can develop an eating disorder. Eating disorders often begin in adolescence and youth of the year. But it can occur at any age.

Certain factors may increase the risk of developing an eating disorder, including:

  • The history of the family. Eating disorders are more likely to occur in people who have parents or siblings who have had an eating disorder.
  • Other mental health problems. Trauma, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other mental health problems can increase the likelihood of an eating disorder.
  • Diet and hunger. Frequent diet is a risk factor for an eating disorder, especially with the weight that is constantly going up and down to raise and lower new diets. There is strong evidence that many of the symptoms of an eating disorder are the symptoms of starvation. Hunger affects the brain and can lead to mood swings, rigid thinking, anxiety, and reduced appetite. This can cause severely limited or eating problem eating behaviors to continue and make it difficult to return to healthy eating habits.
  • A history of weight intimidation. The people who have been teased or bullied about their weight are more likely to develop problems with eating and feeding disorders. This includes people that have been made to feel ashamed of their body weight by their peers, health professionals, coaches, teachers, or family members.
  • Stress. If you are heading to college, moving, landing a new job, a family or relationship issue, change can bring on stress. And the stress can increase the risk of an eating disorder.

Complications

Eating disorders cause a wide variety of complications, some of them life-threatening. The more severe or of long duration of the eating disorder, the more likely it is that serious complications can occur. These may include:

  • Serious health problems.
  • Depression and anxiety.
  • Suicidal thoughts or behavior.
  • Problems with growth and development.
  • Social and relationship problems.
  • Substance use disorders.
  • The work and the affairs of the school.
  • Death.

Prevention

There is No sure way to prevent eating disorders, but you can take steps to develop healthy eating habits. If you have a child, you can help your child to reduce the risk of developing eating disorders.

Adults

Develop healthy eating habits and lifestyle behaviors:

  • Choosing a healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Limit salt, sugar, alcohol, saturated fats and trans fats. Avoid extreme dieting. If you need to lose weight, talk with your doctor or a dietitian to create a plan that fits your needs.
  • Do not use dietary supplements, laxatives or herbal products for weight loss.
  • Get enough physical activity. Each week, do at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity, such as brisk walking. Choose activities that you enjoy, so you're more likely to do them.
  • Seek help for mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, or problems with self-esteem and body image.

For more instructions on food and nutrition, as well as physical activity, go to health.gov.

Talk with a health care provider if you have concerns about your eating habits. Getting treatment early can prevent the problem from getting worse.

Children

Here are some ways you can help your child develop healthy eating behaviours:

  • Avoid diet of your child. Family dining habits can influence the relationships children develop with the food. Eating together gives you an opportunity to teach your child about the dangers of the diet. It also allows you to see if your child is eating enough food and enough variety.
  • Talk with your child. There are many websites and other social media sites that promote dangerous ideas, such as the display of anorexia as a lifestyle, rather than an eating disorder. Some sites encourage teens to start the diet. It is important to correct any wrong ideas like this. Talk with your child about the risks of eating unhealthy options.
  • Encouraging and reinforcing a healthy body image in your child, whatever their shape or size. Talk with your child about self-image and to provide assurances that the shapes of the body may vary. Don't criticize your own body in front of his son. Messages of acceptance and respect can help to build a healthy self esteem. You can also increase the resilience ⸺ the capacity to recover quickly from difficult events. These skills can help children to get through the difficult times of the adolescence and youth of the year.
  • Ask your doctor for help. In well-child visits, health care providers may be able to identify early signs of an eating disorder. You can ask the children questions about their eating habits. These visits may include controls and height percentiles of weight and the body mass index, which can alert you and your child's provider to big changes.

Get help

If you notice a family member or friend who seems to show signs of an eating disorder, consider the chance to speak with that person about his concern for his well-being. You may not be able to prevent an eating disorder from developing, however, reach out with compassion can encourage the person to seek treatment.

Diagnosis

Eating disorders are diagnosed based on symptoms and a review of the eating habits and behaviors. You can see your doctor and a mental health professional for diagnosis.

To get a diagnosis, you may need to:

  • A physical exam. Your doctor will probably examine you to rule out other medical causes for their food. The provider may also order lab tests.
  • A mental health evaluation. A mental health professional asks about your thoughts, feelings and habits and eating behaviors. You also may be asked to answer a series of questions to help with the diagnosis.
  • Other studies. Other medical tests may be done to check for any complications related to their diet.

Treatment

The best treatment for an eating disorder involves a team approach. The team includes your primary care physician, a mental health professional and, at times, a registered dietitian. Look for professionals with experience in the treatment of eating disorders.

The treatment depends on the specific type of eating disorder. But, in general, which includes:

  • Learn about proper nutrition.
  • Learn how to develop healthy eating habits.
  • Guidance for reaching a healthy weight if you're underweight.
  • Behavior therapy, sometimes called talk therapy.
  • Medicine, if necessary.

If your life is at risk, you may have to go to a hospital immediately.

Behavioral therapy

Certain behavioral therapies can be effective in the treatment of eating disorders. These include:

  • Family-based treatment (FBT). FBT is an outpatient treatment for children and adolescents with anorexia. It is also probably effective for bulimia and other problems eating behaviors. The family is involved in the manufacturing, to ensure that the child or other member of the family in the following way-healthy-eating patterns, and maintains a healthy weight.
  • The cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is commonly used in eating disorder treatment, especially for bulimia, binge eating disorder and other problem behaviors of food. A type of CBT improved the TCC is used most often. Learn how to control and improve their eating habits and states of mind, develop the skills to solve problems, and explore healthy ways of dealing with stressful situations.

Medications

The medicine can't cure an eating disorder. There are No medications that have been shown to help with weight gain or to treat anorexia. For bulimia or binge-eating disorder, certain medications can help you manage urges to binge or purge or manage an extreme focus on food and diet.

A stay in the hospital for a day or a program

If you have serious health problems related to their eating disorder, the doctor may recommend that you stay in the hospital for a while. Some clinics specialize in the treatment of people with eating disorders. Some may offer programs of the day, instead of a stay in the hospital. Specialized eating disorder programs may offer a more intensive treatment for long periods of time.

Lifestyle and home remedies

To improve the chances of success in overcoming an eating disorder:

  • Find a mental health provider with experience in eating disorders. The treatment is more effective when delivered by a doctor with specialty training in eating disorders. Find a doctor with experience in treatments shown to be effective, such as the FBT and CBT .
  • Follow your treatment plan. Don't skip therapy sessions and try not to deviate from the meal plan. Follow your doctor's instructions about the physical activity and exercise.
  • Talk with your health care provider about appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements. If you are not eating well, it is likely that your body is not getting all the nutrients you need, such as vitamin D or iron. For healthy individuals, the health care providers will commonly recommend that you get most of your vitamins and minerals from food.
  • Resist urges to weigh-in. And do not check yourself in the mirror often. This can simply increase your drive to keep the habits that are not healthy.
  • Don't isolate yourself from others. Take care of family members and friends who have your best interests at heart wants to see you to recover the health.

Alternative medicine

Alternative medicine is a popular name for health care practices that traditionally are not part of well-researched standard of medicine. Complementary and integrative medicine, when they are based on solid research, it can sometimes be used in conjunction with the standard medicine, but they are not substitutes for standard medical care.

Most often, when people turn to alternative or complementary medicine, is to improve your health. But dietary supplements, herbal products and products designed to dampen the appetite or aid in the weight loss may be unsafe and ill-used by people with eating disorders. These products can have dangerous interactions with other medications.

Weight loss and diet supplements do not need approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to go on the market. The FDA maintains an online list of tainted weight loss products, some of which can cause serious damage, such as irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, stroke, and even death.

Talk with your doctor before attempting any alternative or complementary medicine. Natural does not always mean security. Your provider can help you understand possible risks and benefits before you try a treatment.

Reduce stress and anxiety

Some complementary treatments and approaches can help to reduce stress and anxiety. It can promote relaxation and increase the feeling of well-being. Examples include:

  • Acupuncture.
  • The massage.
  • Yoga.
  • Meditation.

Coping and support

It is hard to manage an eating disorder when mixed messages from the media, the culture, and sometimes family or friends. If you or a loved one has an eating disorder, ask your health care provider or a mental health professional for advice on coping and emotional support.

Learning effective coping strategies and get the support you need from family and friends are vital to the success of the treatment.

Preparing for your appointment

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment. You can ask a family member or friend to go with you for support and the help of your memory. A member of the family may be able to give your provider a more complete picture of your life at home.

What you can do

Before your appointment, make a list of:

  • The symptoms you are experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for your appointment. Try to remember when your symptoms began.
  • Key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • All medications, including over-the counter medications, vitamins, herbal products or other supplements you are taking, and their doses.
  • Questions to ask your doctor or mental health provider so that you remember to cover everything that you want.

Some questions you might ask include:

  • Do you think I have an eating disorder?
  • What kinds of tests do I need? Do these tests require any special preparation?
  • Is this condition temporary or long-term?
  • What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
  • How will treatment affect my weight?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you suggest?

Feel free to ask questions during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider or mental health provider is likely to ask several questions, such as:

  • Tell Me about your eating habits.
  • How long have you been worried about your weight?
  • Do you exercise? How often do you exercise and for how long?
  • They have to find other ways for you to lose weight?
  • Do you have any physical symptoms?
  • Have you ever vomited because I was uncomfortably full?
  • Others expressed concern about his weight?
  • What do you think about food often?
  • Do you ever eat in secret?
  • Have any of your family members has had symptoms or has been diagnosed with an eating disorder?

Your healthcare provider may ask other questions based on your responses, symptoms, and needs. Be prepared to answer questions, so that you have time to talk about what is most important to you.

Symptoms and treatment of eating disorders