Body Image and Eating Disorders

What are eating disorders?

Eating disorders include extreme thoughts, emotions, & behaviors surrounding weight, food, & body shape. There is a pronounced disruption in eating behaviors & weight management as well as intense anxiety about body weight & size. Eating disorders are often a dangerous response to stress. They are serious emotional & physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for females & males. The most common eating disorders are described below:

Anorexia Nervosa

• Restricted eating, self-starvation & excessive weight loss
• Intense fear of & obsession with weight gain & the idea of becoming “fat”
• Persistent behavior to prevent weight gain
• Self-esteem overly related to body image
• Body image is distorted- person may feel fat despite being underweight
• Inability to appreciate the severity of the situation

Bulimia Nervosa

• Cycle of binge eating followed by purging
• Binge eating involves eating large amounts of food in a short period of time
• Feeling out of control during the binge
• Purging may include: Self-induced vomiting, abusing laxatives / diuretics, fasting, abusing diet pills, or excessively exercising
• Extreme concern with body weight & shape

Binge Eating Disorder

• Recurrent binge eating episodes which involve periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full
• Sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g. feeling like you can’t stop)
• Binge eating episodes often associated with:
• Eating more rapidly than usual
• Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry
• Eating alone due to embarrassment
• Feeling disgusted, depressed or guilty after a binge
• May involve fasts, repetitive (yo-yo) dieting & feelings of shame or self-hatred

Other Eating Disorders

• Other Eating Disorders can include some combination of the signs and symptoms of anorexia, bulimia, and/or binge eating disorder. While these behaviors may not be clinically considered a full syndrome eating disorder, they can still be physically dangerous & emotionally draining.

Resources

Adapted from the DSM-5 & National Eating Disorders Association (2015): www.NationalEatingDisorders.org.