Eating disorders

What is an eating disorder?

An eating disorder is a mental health condition that involves controlling the consumption of food to help cope with situations and feelings. It can involve eating too much, not eating enough, the avoidance of certain foods and worrying about body shape and weight.

Eating disorders happen when attitudes towards food take over an individual's life. It can make an individual feel unable to cope with daily life or fulfill their potential.

Potential influential factors: Fashion, peers, social media et cetera.......

Overview – Eating disordersRead about the different types of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, including what possible causes and treatments available.

Statistics - relating to eating disorders

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Overview - AnorexiaFind out what anorexia nervosa is, what causes it, the signs to look out for, and the treatment and support available.

Anorexia nervosa

Main characteristics are:

Self-induced weight loss through food avoidance.
Use of laxatives, excessive exercise or vomiting.
Distorted body image.
Hormonal changes (menstrual periods stopping and delayed/arrested puberty).
Very low body weight (15% below normal).

Overview - Binge eating disorderRead about binge eating disorder, which is when a person feels compelled to overeat on a regular basis. Find out about the symptoms, treatments and possible causes.

Binge eating

Main characteristics are:

Preoccupation with body shape and weight.
Self-worth influenced by weight and shape.
Associated with being overweight and obese.
Purging not involved.
More responsive to treatment than anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Overview - BulimiaRead about bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder and mental health condition where someone is binge eating, then making themselves vomit or using laxatives to purge the food from their body.

Bulimia nervosa

Main characteristics are:

Binge eating accompanied by subjective feelings of loss of control.
Self-induced vomiting and excessive exercise and/or misuse of diuretics, laxatives, amphetamine et cetera.
Self-evaluation is excessively influenced by weight and body shape, potential prior episode of anorexia nervosa.
Physical signs: sores on knuckles, tooth decay, throat infections, epileptic fits, swollen salivary glands.
Mood disturbance is very common along with symptoms of anxiety.

OSFED - other specified feeding or eating disorder

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OSFED - Beat

Helplines - Beat

Useful contacts - eating problemsIf you need further support or information about eating problems, find contact details of Mind's services and other useful organisations here.

Key Terms

Binge drinking - refers to drinking lots of alcohol in a short space of time or drinking to get drunk.

Mental health - refers to 'a state of well-being in which every individual realises their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community' (WHO, 2014).

Mental ill-health - refers to an emotional or psychological disorder that hinders the individual from making the most of their abilities, and makes it difficult for them to cope with the stresses of life. It prevents them working effectively and from contributing to society.

EATING DISORDERS