- An eating disorder is marked by extremes. It is present when a person experiences
severe overeating, or feelings of extreme distress or concern about body weight or
shape.
A person with an eating disorder may have started out just eating smaller or larger
amounts of food than usual, but at some point, the urge to eat less or more spirals
out of control. Eating disorders are very complex, and despite scientific research to
understand them, the biological, behavioral and social underpinnings of these
illnesses remain elusive.
The two main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
A third category is "eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS)," which
includes several variations of eating disorders. Most of these disorders are similar
to anorexia or bulimia but with slightly different characteristics. Binge-eating
disorder, which has received increasing research and media attention in recent
years, is one type of EDNOS.
Eating disorders frequently appear during adolescence or young adulthood, but
some reports indicate that they can develop during childhood or later in adulthood.
Women and girls are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder.
Men and boys account for an estimated 5 to 15 percent of patients with anorexia or
bulimia and an estimated 35 percent of those with binge-eating disorder. Eating
disorders are real, treatable medical illnesses with complex underlying
psychological and biological causes. They frequently co-exist with other psychiatric
disorders such as depression, substance abuse, or anxiety disorders. People with
eating disorders also can suffer from numerous other physical health complications,
such as heart conditions or kidney failure, which can lead to death.
This article is authored by the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
What are Eating Disorders?
| Patricia Kyle Dennis PhD Licensed Clinical Social Worker Saint Louis, Missouri Specialist in the Treatment of Eating Disorders Psychotherapy for Individuals Families Groups |
I am happy to answer your questions about my services in St. Louis, Missouri. Click Here to send me confidential email. |
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