Types of Eating Disorders (More Symptoms)

What is eating disorder? And what are types of eating disorders? Well, as the name implies they are a group of conditions (serious health conditions) marked or characterized by an unhealthy correlation or relationship with food. And there are 3 major types of this disorder; bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

You might also like to know more about factors that increase your risk of having eating disorders, before continuing!

Severe eating disorder can cause potentially life-threatening, because they can lead to some serious physical problems. According to a published article on MayoClinic, eating disorders (especially for anorexia nervosa & bulimia nervosa) are relatively more common in women than in men. But most people who have binge eating disorder are not women, but men!

And some common treatment options to treat eating disorders may include nutrition education, medications, psychotherapy, family counseling, and even hospitalization if necessary.

Anorexia nervosa symptoms

Anorexia nervosa is one of types of eating disorders that can be characterized by an extreme or excess fear of gaining weight. People with this disorder love their weight-loss diet a lot (too much or too over), because they don’t like gain weight -- though their weight is already ideal. Even the weight loss diet in people with anorexia nervosa can be at point of starvation! They also can do excessive exercise!

Generally, someone with this anorexia nervosa can never be satisfied to loss their weight. She/he has a distorted body image -- they are more likely to have opinion that they are being overweight -- though the fact she/he is being underweight.

The anorexia signs usually develop gradually! The following are some common behaviors or symptoms in individuals who have anorexia nervosa:

1. Talk more about being ‘fat’ and preoccupation with counting calories, dieting, or other things associated with weight loss!
2. Avoid eating certain foods (particularly like fat and carbs).
3. They can cook elaborate meals but they don’t want to eat! They just do it for others (like for their family) but they don’t want to eat their cooking!
4. They may also don’t like to eat or get mealtimes in front of others. And sometimes they deny that too thinness is a problem.
5. Doing excessive exercise!
6. Love to use bulky or loose clothes in order to hide their weight loss!
7. Due to their tight (too over) weight loss diet, they may often complaint about stomach pain or constipation!
8. Dramatic (significant) weight loss!
9. And some women with anorexia also experience problems in their menstrual cycles.

Bulimia nervosa symptoms

Then another one for types of eating disorders is bulimia nervosa! This type is often associated with loss of control about eating. Generally, it is characterized by cycles of overeating (extreme overeating or bingeing). These cycles are usually also followed by certain behaviors (like fasting, purging (vomiting), excessive exercise) to compensate for the overeating.  

Many individuals with bulimia (unlike anorexia) still have a normal weight. But like anorexia, they also have or experience the same intense fear of being overweight and distorted body image! 

And untreated bulimia nervosa can cause in long-tem health problems, which may include problems associated with kidney and problems in heart rhythms.

Some common bulimia nervosa symptoms may include:

1. People with this disorder are more likely to eat large amounts of food (big meal) in a short time. And they tend to hide their big meals when eating (avoid eating in the front of others).
2. The big meals in a short time then will increase the chance of vomiting. They also may have scarred knuckles, which are caused by repeatedly inducing vomiting.
3. They tend to wear or use baggy clothes so thus they can hide the body.
4. Taking (too over) mints or gum or mouthwash.
5. Doing excessively weight loss diet and excessively exercise.
6. Often complaint and talk about being ‘fat’.

Binge eating disorder symptoms

This type can be characterized by feelings of loss control about eating which can be regular episodes of overeating (extreme overeating). Unlike bulimia, people with binge eating disorder are more likely to have more frequent episodes of overeating and they are often in obesity or overweight. In other words, individuals with this type are usually not interest to look for any behaviors to compensate their overeating.

Since this type can cause overweight or obesity, if left untreated it can lead to many serious health consequences! And common signs in people with binge eating disorder may include:

1. Having a lot of episodes (or even regular episodes) of binge eating, and they can eat big meals in a short time.
2. They tend to hide many foods (hoarding food) in strange locations.
3. Sometimes, they may also avoid or skip eating in front of others.
4. They may also like to wear baggy clothes so thus they can hide the size of their body.
5. And overweight.

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Reference: MayoClinic and WebMD
Image credit to ‘shutterstock’ for illustration