Different Types of Eating Disorders

When one thinks about eating disorders (EDs) the main thought would be skinny girls starving themselves. Many people think that there is only one type of ED but in reality there are multiple types. These include under eating and over eating as well as a combination of the two.

First here are a few definitions you will need to know.

Eating disorder
Eating disorders are a condition defined by abnormal eating habits, both under eating and over eating, because of one's mental of physical health.

Binge eating (binging)
Binge eating is the uncontrollable consumption of large quantities of food.

Purging
Purging is the act of compensatory behaviour to controls one's weight after eating. Examples of purging are (but not limited to) using laxatives, self-induced vomiting, and/or over exercising.

So without any further complications here are a list of the most common eating disorders.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by the refusal to eat.

Probably the most well known, Anorexia Nervosa (often called simply anorexia. Note that anorexia is a symptom where one does not feel hungry but it is usually used to refer to Anorexia Nervosa) is an eating disorder characterized by the refusal to eat due to an obsession with having a skinny body and irrational fear of gaining weight, as well as a distorted body self-perception. No matter how skinny they are, it is not enough. It has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness at 20%.

Anorexia is most prevalent in adolescent girls but recent studies have shown younger and younger children are also suffering from it. Also it is estimated that 1 in 4 anorexics are male though in recovery programs only 1 in 10 are males. This is because males are much likely to be diagnosed. It may affect anyone from any social, economical or cultural background.

Anorexics typically consume around 600-800 but cases of complete starvation have been documented. You do no have to be underweight to suffer from anorexia.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa (often called bulimia) is an eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of eating large amounts of food uncontrollably (binge eating) as well as a compensatory behaviour intended to prevent excessive weight gain, often dubbed "purging". Examples of purging are using laxatives, self-induced vomiting, over exercising... etc. The key difference between bulimia and anorexia is anorexics do not purge.


An example of purging.

Bulimia and anorexia are closely related. It is believed that half of the teens suffering from anorexia also suffer from bulimia. People who suffer from both can be diagnosed with an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (see below) or Anorexia with Bulimic Tendencies. They usually do not eat for a prolonged period of time and then binge and eventually purge. This is a way of controlling their weight though extremely unhealthy.
People with bulimia are generally at a healthy weight. Bulimia is considered less life threatening than anorexia but studies have shown that is much more prevalent. It is believed that up to 1% of women suffer from this. Bulimia is nine times more common in females than males.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

The most common eating disorder but still not recognized as a separate eating disorder, Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of binge eating (eating large amounts of food uncontrollably) without using compensatory behaviour (laxatives, self-induced vomiting, over exercising) to prevent weight gain. Usually these episodes last no more than two hours but some cases are shown to be different. They difference between BED and bulimia is that bulimics use compensatory methods to prevent weight gain.

Binge eating is the uncontrollable
consumption of large quantities of food.

In the USA it is believed to affect 2-3% of the population. Also 30% of people seeking weight loss treatments have BED. Most people with BED are classified as overweight or obese but people at a healthy weight may also suffer from this.

Unlike anorexia and bulimia, the gender difference between the two are much smaller. Women are twice more likely to suffer from BED than men. Like anorexia, it may affect anyone from any social, economical or cultural background.

At the moment, people with BED are often diagnosed with an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) since it has not been recognized as a separate eating disorder.

Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS)

An EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) is diagnosis given to someone with an eating disorder that does not fit the criteria of anorexia, or bulimia. EDNOS symptoms and behaviors can vary widely. Someone with this could restrict their calorie intake for a day and then binge the next day or they could suffer from BED (many people with BED are diagnosed with EDNOS because BED is not recognized as an eating disorder).

EDNOS is as serious as any other eating disorder and should not be taken lightly.

Night Eating Syndrome (NES)

Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is an emerging eating disorder where a person eats very little during the day and binges at night. It is characterized by obsessively eating over half of their daily calories after eight o'clock.

The difference between NES and BED (Binge Eating Disorder) is that NES patients binge at night instead of throughout the day and generally snack instead of eating full meals. This is often seen as a way to cope with depression. People with NES also do not purge, differing it from bulimia. 

People with orthorexia have an
unhealthy obsession with eating healthy.

Orthorexia Nervosa

Orthorexia Nervosa is relatively new compared with it's counterparts but is as deadly. Orthorexia is an eating disorder characterized by an obsession to eat "pure" foods. Put simply, they have an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy.



No matter how muscular they are,
 they feel as if that is not enough.

The difference between orthorexia and anorexia is that anorexics focus more on their bodies while orthorexics focus more on the food they are eating. Most people diagnosed with it do not have distorted self-perception. Like BED it is not recognized as a separate eating disorder.

Muscle Dysmorphia (Bigorexia)

Muscle dysmorphia, known informally as bigorexia is not necessarily an eating disorder but it does fall into the category of abnormal eating habits.  Like its name, it is a disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with not having enough muscle. It is quite similar to anorexia in the sense the person has distorted body self-perception but people with this are focused more on building muscle. No matter how muscular they are, they feel as if that is not enough.

Bigorexia almost entirely affects men but cases of women having bigorexia have been documented. Most cases are of body builders.