Eating Disorder, What Does It Really Means?

Eating Disorder can happen to anyone, men or women, rich or poor, young or old and even to people from various cultures.  It is a complex condition affecting the emotional, physical and relationships of people who have eating disorder.

The National Eating disorder Association reported that there are 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States who are suffering from eating disorder at one point in their life.

The rate of death among people with eating disorder is high and is the most common cause of mortality for people with psychiatric issues.

People with eating disorder also have tendencies or are associated with personality disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, or substance abuse. Because they tend to focus on their weight and shape, they tend to make wrong food choices that later on lead to serious health complications.

NEDC reported that eating disorder ranges from the most common anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Anorexia Nervosa:

NHS classified Anorexia nervosa as the condition where one starves themselves to death by not eating or by exercising in excess.  These people wanted to keep their weight as low as possible because of fear of weight gain.

 Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder that displays episodes of "bingeing and purging" Mayo Clinic reports. People with this type of eating problem often eat in excess and then would get rid of calories by exercising too much, vomiting by force (purging bulimia), or by using laxatives.

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge-eating disorder is described as persistent, uncontrollable episodes of consuming abnormally large amounts of food. People suffering from the eating problem usually eat whether they are hungry or not.  After binge eating, the person often feels guilty, or ashamed and may often hide when bingeing. 

Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED)

Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED) displays many symptoms associated with other eating disorder such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa or Binge Eating Disorder, but is not generalized under any of the eating disorder.

 About 30% of people who have eating disorder are classified under OSFED. People with OSFED are seen with any of the symptoms including exceptionally disturbed eating habits, overvaluation of shape and weight, distorted body image, or extreme fear of gaining weight.

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