Health

15 Types of Eating Disorder and Their Symptoms

• March 28, 2023

Overview

Eating disorders refer to inappropriate behaviors and thoughts about food and body shape. They are complex medical conditions affecting both physiological and physical aspects. These disorders can arise from an unhealthy obsession with food and body weight or shape. They can be life-threatening if not treated properly. They can occur in individuals of any age and gender, depending on the specific type of eating disorder present.

Common symptoms of eating disorders include the restriction of food, excessive exercise, binge eating, and purging behaviors such as induced vomiting. These symptoms can lead to chronic and severe medical conditions that may even result in death.

Eating disorders can be caused by various factors, including physiological, social, genetic, and brain biology. Individuals with eating disorders often suffer from depression and low self-esteem and may have a distorted body image. They may fear rejection by society and engage in these behaviors to cope with feelings of shame or guilt.

It is crucial to seek treatment from healthcare professionals specializing in eating disorders. Leaving eating disorders untreated can lead to several physical and behavioral consequences, impacting an individual's overall well-being.

 

Eating Disorders

1- Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental health condition associated with the fear of gaining unwanted weight. It involves the emotional challenges and unrealistic image of a flabby body.

It affects more women as compared to men in adolescence or young adulthood. The person with anorexia nervosa intentionally restricts their food intake as it is under emotional conditions.

The person always has a fear of gaining weight and a desire to lose more weight. Over time, anorexia nervosa damages the body and may experience desorption of bones, brittle hairs and nails, infertility, and growth of fine-lining hair over the body. The dietary deficiencies may lead to improper heart and brain function and, in severe cases, result in complete failure or death.

Symptoms

The common symptoms of anorexia nervosa are:

• The person is underweight as compared to a similar age group and height.
• The person may feel dizziness, fatigue, low blood pressure, and irregular heart rhythms.
• The person has a low body temperature with cold hands or feet, possibly, hypothermia.
• Stomach-bloating, constipation, and having bad breath due to excessive vomiting.
• The person may do fasting, excessively exercise, and use laxatives or diuretics.
• Menstrual dysfunction and depression.

2- Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa includes excessive overeating and then purging out to eliminate excessive calories. The bulimia nervosa s has connected with a binge medical condition, a large amount of food consumption, and purging unnaturally. It occurs in adolescent or young adulthood trends and affects more women than males. A person with bulimia consumes a large amount of food at a specific time.

This binge episode continues until the person feels discomfort. During the binge episode, the person loses control over eating food or does not realize how much they eat. People with bulimia use different ways to eliminate extra calories and avoid weight gain. After every binge episode, they may self-induce vomiting, use laxatives or enemas, and weight-loss supplements. The other ways to prevent weight gain include:

• Fasting
• Strict dieting
• Excessive exercise

Symptoms

The common symptoms of bulimia nervosa are:

• Worn out teeth enamel and teeth decay.
• Have Sore throat and swollen glands around the face and neck.
• Heart burning due to acid reflux, ingestion, and bloating.
• Irregular menstrual cycle due to hormonal imbalance.
• Weakness, fatigue, and dizziness.'

3- Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

Binge eating disorder is a subtype of anorexia and is similar to bulimia. Like anorexia and bulimia, it occurs in adolescents or young adulthood. Binge is associated with overeating or consuming a large amount of food. Like bulimia, they do not purge to eliminate the extra calories.

It includes binge eating episodes and frequently gulping a large amount of food. BED occurs in males and females who tend to be overweight with time. BED patients are vulnerable to excessive eating as they gain weight, with the increased urge for more and more food.

The BED person is a victim of an emotional rollercoaster ride and suffers from shame, guilt, depression, and anxiety. The person finds coping with them by eating more food, producing a dangerous cycle. Obesity comes with severe health conditions related to heart and blood sugar levels. Often has insomnia, hypertension, gallbladder disease, joint or muscular pain, and depression or anxiety.

Symptoms:

The most common symptoms of BED are:

• Frequently eating large amounts of food alone or secretly without feeling hungry.
• Feel the loss of control during the binge episode and eat until painfully full.
• Never Satisfied, no matter how much food they consumed.
• Isolated with a large pile of food, having guilt or emotional distress.

4- Muscle Dysmorphia

Muscle dysmorphia is a mental health condition involving a person's desire for body shape to extend limits. Muscle dysmorphia(MD) is a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) in which a person is obsessed with a big muscular body. In MD person with a general physique is constantly preoccupied with thoughts of having a small and less muscular body.

Muscle dysmorphia hits more males than females in late teens or early adulthood. People with MD have a muscular physique as their routine engages more muscle-building activities. Some sort of distorted image of muscles or delusion of body appearance is involved in muscle dysmorphia. Sometimes muscle dysmorphia is referred to as bigorexia's reverse condition to anorexia. There is still debate that MD is considered under eating disorders, behavioral adduction, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Symptoms

• A person does excessive weight lifting.
• Use anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
• Avoid mirrors frequently checking appearances.
• Eating habits are restricted to growing more and more muscle mass.
• Spend more time doing exercise and avoid social gatherings.

5- Pica

Pica is an eating disorder that involves eating non-food items. This eating disorder carves an individual for non-food substances like:

• Ice
• Clay
• Chalk
• Dirt
• Soil
• Soap
• Paper
• Hair
• Cloth
• Wool
• Pebbles
• Laundry detergent
• Corn starch

Pica may develop in children, adolescents, and as well as in adults. It more frequently occurs in children, pregnant women, and individuals with mental disabilities. Individuals with this eating disorder are always at risk of poisoning, infection, gut injuries, and nutritional deficiencies.

Pica is a fatal condition depending on the consumption of the non-food substance. The pica is related to zinc and iron deficiency in the body. Anemia is an iron deficiency that mostly occurs in pregnant women, which may be responsible for the pica. Dieting and malnutrition also lead to pica you feel full after consuming non-food items.

Symptoms

Here are some common symptoms related to pica:

• An individual's stomach is always getting upset, followed by stomach pain.
• Blood comes into the stool, confirming the presence of a stomach ulcer.
• An individual has either constipation or diarrhea due to irregular bowel absorption.

6- Other Specific Feeding And Eating Disorder(OSFED)

Other specific feeding and eating disorders(OSFED) come up with multiple symptoms of the different mental health conditions which are not classified under a single eating disorder.

An individual with OSFED has disturbed eating habits, a distorted body image, misjudgment of body shape and weight, and a fear of gaining weight. OSFED is a blanket term for the people who may experience symptoms of different varieties like:

• Atypical Anorexia: Diagnosed having all symptoms of anorexia except they have healthy body weight.
• Bulimia nervosa: An individual having a low frequency of binging or purging for a limited time.
• Binge eating disorder: A person diagnosed with binge symptoms, but the binge eating episodes often occur at low frequency.
• Purging disorder: The purges may occur because of being sick or laxatives to maintain the body shape, not as a part of the binge cycle.
• Night-Eating Syndrome: A person eats more at night after having a heavy meal earlier in the evening. Or eats after waking up from sleep at night.

Symptoms

The other symptoms regarding the above eating disorders are:

• Restricted calories or self-starvation.
• Obsessed with food cleanness or purity.
• Need a controlled environment for consuming food.
• Emotional distress or feelings of shame and guilt.

7- Rumination Syndrome

Rumination syndrome is a rare and chronic condition that affects infants, children, and adults. This syndrome is associated with bringing up swollen food again to the mouth and throat after a meal. This process is called 'regurgitation' and occurs when the undigested food rises in the esophagus, throat, and mouth.

It commonly occurs in babies, young children (between 3-12 months), and children with a cognitive disorder. It is rare in older children, adolescents, and adults. The baby or younger child re-chews the swollen food and occasionally spits it. The regurgitation may occur daily or after every meal.

Symptoms:

The symptom of rumination syndrome are as follows:

• Repeated regurgitation of food.
• Repeated re-chewing of food.
• Bad breath.
• Weight loss.
• Tooth decay.
• Repeated stomach aches and indigestion.
• Raw and chapped lips.

8- Compulsive Over Eating(COE)

Compulsive overeating is similar to binge eating. But unlike binge episodes, the person eats all day long. This eating disorder is associated with chronic over-eating of food. Compulsive overeating start when a depressed or emotionally disturbed person finds pleasure in eating food. The person with guilt or shame will turn to food compulsively to compensate for the emotions of eating.

Individual with this compulsion is overweight and obese, and the guilt of distorted appearance makes them eat more and more. The second reason for compulsive overeating is a Strict diet in post dieting period person may lure to the food. The person creates a cycle that leads to guilt about his weight, and he starts dieting.

The second phase proceeded with the cravings of avoided food during dieting and finished with compulsive overeating. The cycle ends with strict dieting after the embracement feeling from overeating. The person repeats this cycle repeatedly, and it is not easy to break it.

Symptoms

• Consumption of a larger portion of food.
• Eating much quicker than usual or slowly with consistency throughout the day or night.
• Eating alone or secretly due to shame or guilt for overeating.
• Feeling bad after each eating binge.

9- Avoidant/ Restricted Food Intake Disorder(ARFID):

ARFID is relative, a new term used for the old eating disorder, selective eating disorder(SED). The ARFID is associated with a narrow or very restricted pattern of eating. The person with ARFID left the whole group of foods due to the food's appearance, color, smell, flavor, and texture. The person may lack interest in eating food and quickly get full. The other factor in ARFID is fear of getting allergies, illness, choking, and nausea.

ARFID commonly occurs in infants and children and may persist in adulthood. The infant and children stick to only one type of food and resist eating any other food substance. It may result in weight loss, malnutrition, gastrointestinal complications, and failure to gain healthy weight (in children). A person's diet lacking in many proteins, vitamins, and essential nutrients is one of the drastic effects of ARFID. This malnutrition may lead to several chronic medical conditions.

Symptoms:

• Fewer foods on the list of acceptance.
• Similar characteristic foods are consumed, such as the same crunchy texture or color scheme.
• Cutting off most vegetables, fruits, beans, and meat from the diet.
• The child may be underweight with a decreased growth rate.
• Characteristic nutritional deficiencies ( iron, vitamin A, and C).
• Resist or be emotional around unfamiliar food.

10- Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder associated with physical and behavioral changes. Hyperphagia's constant sense of hunger is the key factor of this syndrome. It usually begins at the age of 2 years child does not sense the satiety. People with Prader-Willi syndrome eat continuously and have trouble controlling their weight.

Many problems arise due to obesity most common medical condition is Diabetes type-2.

Prader-Willi syndrome also includes mild to moderate learning disabilities and behavior problems. The behavior problems commonly reported are temper outbursts, stubbornness, and compulsive behavior like picking on the skin.

Symptoms

The symptoms may vary from infancy to childhood or adulthood.

Infant

• Poor muscle tone.
• Distinct facial features.
• Poor sucking reflux.
• Lack of responsiveness.
• Underdeveloped genitals.

Early Childhood to Adulthood

• Food carving and weight gain.
• Underdevelop sex organs.
• Poor growth and physical development.
• Cognitive impairment.
• Delay motor response development.
• Speech problem.
• Behavioral problems.
• Sleep disorders.
• Scoliosis.
• Small hands and feet.
• Hypopigmentation causes hair and skin to look pale.

11- Diabulimia

Diabulimia is associated with two medical conditions, type 1 diabetes and bulimia. Diabulimia is an eating disorder that involves a person who skips an insulin shot to lose weight. It mainly occurs in females with type 1 diabetes who are twice at risk of diabulimia. In type 1 diabetes, your body is not able to make insulin.

If someone skips an insulin shot, the body can't utilize sugar as an energy source. As a result, sugar levels are exceeded in the blood and pass through urine. Without insulin, the body produces ketones as an energy source, leading to anorexia or weight loss. Chronic conditions bring up diabetic ketoacidosis that further proceed with coma or death.

Diabulimia comes up with mixed complications of diabetes and bulimia. Like high blood sugar and cholesterol levels, dehydration, bacterial skin infections, yeast infection, retinopathy, liver disease, stroke, and low sodium and potassium levels.

Symptoms

• Fatigue.
• High water consumption.
• Depression or mood swings.
• Delayed puberty.
• Hair loss.
• Dry skin.
• Excessive exercise.
• Binging food more often the sweet one.
• Preoccupied with thoughts of body shape.
• Sweet-smelling breath( due to ketoacidosis).

12- Orthorexia Nervosa

Orthorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder associated with the obsession with healthy eating. The person only focuses on the quality of the food, not the quantity, like in other eating disorders. It considers a good practice to adopt healthy eating but taking it to the extreme is dangerous and life-threatening. People with orthorexia skip a complete meal or entire food group, considering it unhealthy.

It may cause severe nutritional deficiencies and malnutrition that further affect the vital organs and systems. Orthorexia may occur in people with health-related professions or whose physical appearances are involved. The other factors are age, gender, education level, and social-economic status.

Orthorexia starts with a proper diet, then a person becomes obsessed with the food's quality and cleanness. Orthorexia negatively affects social life as people make unnecessary arguments about food quality. They refused to eat outside with family and friends and were isolated.

Symptoms

• Worry about the food quality.
• Fear sickness.
• Physical signs of malnutrition.
• Research for more healthy options.
• Refuse to eat a wide range of foods.
• Overcautious of the preparation of food.
• Depression.

13- Drunkorexia

Drunkorexia is associated with the collective effects of anorexia or bulimia in addition to the consumption of alcohol. The person uses alcohol to reduce weight in a planned binge drinking.

Like anorexia or bulimia, a person restricts food and purges to eliminate extra calories. In drunkorexia, a person purges to make room to consume more alcohol.

Drunkorexia is becoming a popular trend among college students and young adults. They pursue drunkorexia to have a thinner or muscular body. To become social highlights and the center of attraction in the social circle, without worrying about the unknown effects of consuming alcohol on an empty stomach. Drunkorexia is related to the following conditions:

• High rates of blackouts
• Alcohol poisoning
• Hypoglycemia
• Liver disease
• Osteoporosis
• Diabetes
• Cardiac disease
• Dementia

Symptoms

The person is identified as a binge drinker if the person has more than four drinks in two hours. The other symptoms are:

• Preoccupied or worried about body image.
• Frequently use the bathroom to purge.
• Do extreme diets.
• Do excessive exercise.
• Depression.
• Use laxatives and diuretics for weight loss.
• Poor coping skills.
• Fear of losing control.
• Low-self esteem.
• Occupied with a feeling of rejection from society.

14- Pregorexia

When women undergo pregnancy, weight gain is one of the changes that come in the body during pregnancy. Pregorexia is associated with an attempt to lose weight through extreme diet and exercise. Sometimes, controlling pregnancy weight engraves the life of the mother and baby in danger.

Pregorexia is the combination of two terms pregnancy and anorexia. The pregnant woman has an unnatural fear of gaining weight. The mother restricts the calorie intake or exercises to cope with pregnancy weight. The pregnant woman needs to gain adequate weight to provide nourishment and nutrients to the baby.

Symptoms

• Excessive exercise.
• Restricting food intake.
• Binge eating.
• Compulsive calorie count.
• Feeling shame or guilt about the weight gain.
• Weighing several times.
• Eating alone.
• Chronic fatigue with dizziness and blackouts.

15- Unspecified Feeding Or Eating Disorder

Unspecified feeding or eating disorder associated with uncategorized and specific symptoms does not lie under a single mental health condition. The symptoms may vary and change with time; diagnosing is difficult. Detailed information must be collected from the person affected by UFED. The irregular thoughts and behavior against food and body shape are insufficient for the UFED diagnosis. These thoughts and behavior subjected to severe conditions cause distress for an individual.

Symptoms

• A person may have all characteristic symptoms of anorexia nervosa except they possess a healthy weight.
• Have regular periods with symptoms of anorexia nervosa.
• Have all symptoms of bulimia nervosa except the binge eating or purging episodes less than twice per week or fewer than three months.
• Do fasting, exercise, or purging after eating small amounts of food while retaining normal body weight.
• Chewing and spitting behavior repeatedly, chewing food to have a taste and spitting out to avoid calorie intake.
• A person has a binge eating disorder but has no regular inappropriate behavior.