Food is an important part of our lives. But managing our relationship with food isn’t always easy. Life experiences, mental health and other medical conditions can further complicate a person’s relationship with food, which may change eating habits and behaviors, and possibly lead to eating disorders.
Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that can contribute to long-term physical health effects – but recovery is possible with eating disorder treatment. In this post, we explain some of the signs and symptoms of eating disorders, types of eating disorders and how to get help for yourself or a loved one.
11 Common eating disorder symptoms to look for
Chances are you know someone with an eating disorder. It’s estimated that about 9% of the U.S. population will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives. But you can’t always tell if someone has an eating disorder based on their symptoms or appearance.
Disordered eating patterns can differ from person to person. And people with eating disorders often go to great lengths to keep others from finding out about their habits and behaviors. Still, there are some common eating disorder symptoms to watch for.
1. Changes to eating patterns
It’s not always easy to identify when someone’s eating habits are a sign of an eating disorder since eating disorders don’t affect everyone in the same way. However, possible behaviors may include:
- Bingeing, or eating a lot of food in a short amount of time
- Skipping meals
- Eating a very small amount of food
- Eating too fast
- Chewing gum or drinking lots of water instead of eating
- Emotional eating
2. Rigid attitudes about food or highly selective eating
While a person may not come out and say that they have an eating disorder, their attitudes toward food can be a strong clue. They’ll likely have very rigid ideas about what foods are okay to eat. They may label specific foods as good or bad or remove entire food groups from their diet. For example, they may consider all carbohydrates or fats bad and unhealthy, and only eat low-carb, low-fat or diet foods. Some people with eating disorders may avoid foods because of the texture, color or smell.
3. Distorted body image
Some people with eating disorders have trouble seeing their body the way it really is. They may see a very large body in the mirror when they are very thin. Their struggle with body image or an overfocus on their weight or body shape often impacts how they function each day.
4. Body checking
A person with an eating disorder may “check” their body frequently. They may weigh themselves multiple times a day or spend a lot of time looking in the mirror, pinching skin, feeling for bones or measuring body parts. Body checking can be harmful because it reinforces negative feelings about their body.
5. Visting the bathroom around mealtimes
If someone frequently goes to the bathroom after eating or during meals, it can be a sign that they’re making themselves throw up because they’re trying to get rid of the food they ate.
6. Excessive exercise
Many people are unaware that overexercising can be a sign of an eating disorder. But people with eating disorders may use excessive exercise as a compensatory behavior to “make up” for calories they consume or to punish themselves for eating too much. Research shows that up to 50% of people with eating disorders overexercise.
7. Misuse of laxatives or diuretics
Some people with eating disorders misuse laxatives (medicines that make you poop) or diuretics (medicines that make you pee) because they mistakenly believe these medicines will get rid of calories before they are absorbed. People may also use these medicines to relieve symptoms like constipation which can be caused by eating disorders. However, misuse of these medicines can lead to serious problems, including dehydration, electrolyte imbalances and kidney damage.
8. Changes in mood
Eating disorders are more common in people with other mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), phobias or substance abuse.
In addition, a person who has an eating disorder may not get the appropriate nutrition. Malnutrition and electrolyte imbalances caused by poor nutrition can make people more irritable, depressed or anxious.
9. Not eating around others
A person with an eating disorder may feel uncomfortable eating around others. They may make excuses to get out of group meals. They may also hoard food or eat in secret.
10. Social isolation
People with eating disorders may withdraw from friends and family because they feel shame or guilt about their eating behaviors or because of low self-esteem.
11. Physical changes
A person’s general appearance isn’t always a good indicator of an eating disorder because there aren’t always noticeable changes in appearance –especially in the beginning stages of an eating disorder. But the following are physical changes to watch for:
- Big changes in weight, such as significant weight loss, weight gain or weight that frequently goes up and down
- Dry or brittle skin, nails or hair
- Fine hair growth on body and face
- Hair loss
- Burst blood vessels in eyes
- Swollen glands along the jaw and cheeks, puffiness around the face
- Tooth decay and gum disease
- Headaches and fatigue
- Abdominal pain and constipation
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Irregular or absent periods
- Constantly feeling cold
Symptoms vary based on the type of eating disorder
There are different types of eating disorders. They all cause changes in eating behaviors, but some symptoms are more common with certain types of eating disorders. Still, it’s important to remember that behaviors and symptoms can differ from person to person.
Signs of anorexia nervosa
Anorexia is an eating disorder where a person significantly restricts their food intake. People with anorexia may not have an accurate view of their body and are often underweight.
People with anorexia take extreme measures to lose weight or prevent weight gain. In addition to restricting how much they eat, they may also limit the types of food they eat, overexercise, vomit after eating or misuse laxatives.
Physical symptoms of anorexia are related to starvation and include dizziness, significant weight loss, hair loss and fine hair growth on the body and face. Anorexia can lead to malnutrition, depression, anxiety, isolation from family and friends, and severe health complications.
Signs of bulimia nervosa
Bulimia is characterized by periods of bingeing, followed by compensatory behaviors to “get rid” of the food eaten during a binge. Types of compensatory behaviors include self-induced vomiting, misusing laxatives and overexercising.
Signs of bulimia include anxiety about appearance, eating large amounts of food at a time, hoarding food and eating in secret. Untreated bulimia can lead to tooth decay, gum disease and problems with the heart, kidney and esophagus. This eating disorder is especially dangerous when purging is frequent or ongoing.
Signs of binge eating disorder
Binge eating disorder (sometimes called BED) is where a person frequently eats an excessive amount of food and feels unable to stop even when they’re full. Dieting can lead to binge eating as restricting calories during the day can lead to bingeing at night.
Binge eating disorder is different from bulimia because people who have binge eating disorders don’t purge after bingeing to “make up” for the extra calories. People with binge eating disorder may struggle with their weight or live in larger bodies. But people can have a binge eating disorder even if they’re of average weight. Dangers of an untreated binge eating disorder include social isolation, worsening mental health and weight-related medical conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Signs of diabulimia
An eating disorder may cause a person with diabetes to mismanage their condition by skipping meals, eating too much, restricting the amount of insulin they take or stopping their insulin altogether. When someone has an eating disorder and type 1 diabetes, it’s sometimes referred to as diabulimia.
A body needs insulin to turn the sugars in food into energy. If a body doesn’t have enough insulin, it cannot break down all the sugars in food – instead, the body breaks down the body’s own fat and muscle, which results in weight loss. But this weight loss is not healthy. Over time, high blood sugar levels can seriously damage a person’s nerves, blood vessels, tissues and organs. People with diabulimia are at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, vision problems, kidney damage and nonhealing wounds.
Signs of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
People with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) have an intense struggle with food and eating, which results in weight loss or failure to grow. Unlike other eating disorders, ARFID is not related to body image. Instead, it’s caused by lack of interest in eating, sensory issues, or fears of choking or vomiting. ARFID often starts in childhood, but it can also be a problem for adults.
People with ARFID may avoid foods based on texture, color, flavor or smell. They may also have no interest in eating or think that eating will cause them to vomit or choke.
Concerning symptoms of ARFID include weight loss, inability to meet growth milestones, malnutrition and problems at school, work or home that are related to food or social interaction.
Signs of other specified feeding or eating disorders
Other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED) is used to describe eating disorders that don’t meet the criteria of a specific condition such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating – but still significantly affect a person’s physical or mental health.
For example, a person might be diagnosed with an OSFED if they have the eating habits and behaviors of someone who has anorexia but don’t have a low body weight. Another example of an OSFED is purging behavior without bingeing.
Symptoms of OSFED tend to be similar to those experienced with other eating disorders and include very disturbed eating habits, significant changes in body weight, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety.
Get help for eating disorders
Eating disorders affect people throughout our community, without regard for gender, age, race, ethnic background, body type, sexual orientation or economic status.
If you think a loved one has an eating disorder or if you’re struggling, Melrose Center can help. Our expert care teams include doctors, therapists and dietitians ready to support your recovery in mind and body.