Eating Disorders Awareness week begins February 26th. It is held on an annual basis. The purpose is to educate the public about eating disorders and to give hope to those who are struggling.

What many people don’t realize is that eating disorders can be life-threatening. It may be hard to understand how it impacts someone both emotionally and physically. Eating disorders have a huge impact on all areas of life.

Eating disorders does not discriminate. It impacts all genders, races, rich and poor alike. According to NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) about 9% of the population in the U.S (28.8 million) will develop an eating disorder at some point in their life. NEDA is a wonderful resource for information on eating disorders, what to do if you think you have one, and how to help others with them.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week: Types of eating disorders

Anorexia Nervosa (AN)

With AN the person has an extreme fear of getting fat. As a result they severely restrict their intake. Thus they lose too much weight which leads to physical and psychological problems.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in order to receive this diagnosis the person must restrict their food leading to a significant weight loss compared to what is normal for their age. There is an intense fear of becoming fat, even though their weight is low. They base their self-worth on their weight. The individual doesn’t take the consequences of their weight loss seriously. They can have a restricting type, or binge-purge type.

Bulimia Nervosa (BN)

With BN the individual engages in binge eating, followed by some compensatory behavior to prevent weight loss. To receive this diagnosis the person must engage in a binge, which is eating an amount of food that most people would think was in excess, over a discreet period of time (ex. 2 hours). In addition, the person experiences a sense of being out of control when they are eating. They feel they cannot stop. After the binge they engage in some behavior to prevent weight gain. They might make them self vomit, use laxatives, extreme exercise, enemas, or fasting. These behaviors occur at least one time a week over a period of 3 months. The way they feel about themselves is based on their weight and shape. With BN there is a purging type and non-purging type.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

With BED the person binges (see above) without the use of a compensatory behavior to lose weight. Those who struggle with this disorder eat faster than the average person, they eat even if they are uncomfortably full and when they are not hungry. They typically feel disgusted with them self and feel guilty. In order to receive this diagnosis the behavior must occur at least once a week over a 3 month time period.

Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

To get this diagnosis, the person needs to be significantly underweight and lack nutritional needs. As a result they are put on a feeding tube. This isn’t due to a fear of getting fat, or due to lack of food to eat. This may be due to the texture of food or fear of vomiting or choking.

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)

When someone does not meet full criteria for any of the other eating disorders, it will fall into this category. Perhaps the person doesn’t engage in the behavior long enough to meet full criteria, or they only have 1 or 2 of the symptoms. It is critical to intervene at this point so things don’t develop into a full blown eating disorder.

Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder (UFED)

With this category the person has some disordered eating behaviors. They might just have a fear of getting fat, or base their self-worth on their body weight or shape. Again, early recognition and treatment are critical before things get worse.

Many people wonder what causes eating disorders. In reality, there isn’t a specific cause of eating disorders. It’s a combination of biological, genetic, sociocultural and psychological factors.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week-causes of eating disorders

Biological factors

Having a family member with an eating disorder or any other type of psychological disorder. They are at greater risk if they have dieted at some point. Having diabetes or a genetic predisposition also increases their risk.

Psychological factors

Being a perfectionist factors in to the equation.  So does experiencing dissatisfaction with one’s body or other mental health issues. They often are inflexible or have trouble changing from one task to another.

Social factors

Social factors include weight stigma, being teased or bullied. Living in a culture where appearance is overvalued. The person strives to have what they think is the perfect body. Often there is a history of some type of trauma.

Another purpose of eating disorders awareness week is to stress that the sooner these disorders are diagnosed, the better the trajectory for recovery. Even if someone doesn’t fit into a specific category, it is important to get treatment before things get worse. If you or someone you know struggles with body image concerns or an eating disorder, therapy can help. Often times we also work with a nutritionist to make sure you are eating the proper amounts of food. Give me a call at 713-304-6554 and we can get help with your eating or body image concerns.

Take care,

Debbie Grammas