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Eating disorders are when an individual has extreme emotions, attitudes, behaviors, and/or actions surrounding weight and food issues. They can include Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. These are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life threatening consequences for both females and males.

 

Eating disorders do not have to fit into one of these predetermined categories. An individual with an eating disorder does not have to be at a weight below what is considered normal. The frequency of the different warning signs may vary between individuals, but that does not mean there is not an issue.

 

Warning signs of Anorexia

• Dramatic weight loss

• Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat grams, and dieting

• Refusal to eat certain foods, progressing to restrictions against whole categories of food, like carbohydrates

• Frequently making comments about looking or feeling “fat” or overweight despite weight loss.

• Anxiety about gaining weight or being “fat”

• Denial of hunger

• Having eating rituals, such as eating food in certain orders, excessive chewing, pushing food around on plate.

• Making excuses to skip meal times or situations involving food.

• Excessive exercise routine The need to “burn off” calories taken in withdrawal from friends and activities

• Behaviors that exhibit that a control of food, weight, diet and/or exercise are primary concerns.

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Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

• Frequent episodes of consuming very large amounts of food without behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting (purging)

• A feeling of being out of control during binge eating episodes

• Feelings of strong shame or guilt regarding the binge eating

• Eating excessive amounts when not hungry, eating to the point of discomfort, eating alone because of the shame of the behavior.

 

Warning signs of Bulimia Nervosa

• Evidence of binge eating, including disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time, finding wrappers and containers indicating the consumption of large amounts of food.

• Evidence of purging behaviors, including frequent trips to the bathroom after meals.

• Signs and/or smells of vomiting

• Presence of wrappers or packages of laxatives or diuretics· Excessive exercise regimen, despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury

• The compulsive need to burn off calories taken in

• Unusual swelling of the cheeks or jaw area

• Calluses on the back of hands and knuckles from self-induced vomiting

• Discoloration or staining of the teeth

• Creation of lifestyle schedules or rituals to make time for binge-and-purge sessions

• Withdrawal from usual friends and activities

• Behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns

• Eating disorders do not have to fit into one of these predetermined categories.

• An individual with an eating disorder does not have to be at a weight below what is considered normal.

• The frequency of the different warning signs may vary between individuals, but that does not mean there is not an issue.

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Visit our Classroom Warning Signs for recognizing eating disorders within the classroom setting.

 

Additional Resources

• National Eating Disorders Association

• National Institute of Mental Health

• US National LIbrary of Medicine