The University of New Mexico
banner image

Eating Disorders

Types of Eating Disorders:

  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Binge Eating
  • Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified

 

Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by emaciation, a relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight, a distortion of body image and intense fear of gaining weight, a lack of menstruation among girls and women, and extremely disturbed eating behavior. Some people with anorexia lose weight by dieting and exercising excessively; others lose weight by self-induced vomiting, or misusing laxatives, diuretics or enemas.

Many people with anorexia see themselves as overweight, even when they are starved or are clearly malnourished. Eating, food and weight control become obsessions. A person with anorexia typically weighs herself or himself repeatedly, portions food carefully, and eats only very small quantities of only certain foods. Some who have anorexia recover with treatment after only one episode. Others get well but have relapses. Still others have a more chronic form of anorexia, in which their health deteriorates over many years as they battle the illness.

Ten Warning Signs

• Deliberate self-starvation with weight loss
• Intense, persistent fear of gaining weight
• Refusal to eat or highly restrictive eating
• Continuous dieting
• Excessive facial/body hair because of inadequate protein in the diet
• Compulsive exercise
• Abnormal weight loss
• Sensitivity to cold
• Absent or irregular menstruation
• Hair loss

Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms Explained

  1. Weight
  2. Intense Fear of Gaining Weight or Becoming Fat, Even if Underweight
  3. Body Image Problems
  4. Amenorrhea or Absence of Menstruation

 

Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurrent and frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food (e.g., binge-eating), and feeling a lack of control over the eating. This binge-eating is followed by a type of behavior that compensates for the binge, such as purging (e.g., vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or diuretics), fasting and/or excessive exercise.

Unlike anorexia, people with bulimia can fall within the normal range for their age and weight. But like people with anorexia, they often fear gaining weight, want desperately to lose weight, and are intensely unhappy with their body size and shape. Usually, bulimic behavior is done secretly, because it is often accompanied by feelings of disgust or shame. The binging and purging cycle usually repeats several times a week. Similar to anorexia, people with bulimia often have coexisting psychological illnesses, such as depression, anxiety and/or substance abuse problems. Many physical conditions result from the purging aspect of the illness, including electrolyte imbalances, gastrointestinal problems, and oral and tooth-related problems.

Seven symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa:

Preoccupation with food
Binge eating, usually in secret
Vomiting after bingeing
Abuse of laxatives, diuretics, diet pills
Denial of hunger or drugs to induce vomiting
Compulsive exercise
Swollen salivary glands
Broken blood vessels in the eyes

Bulimia Nervosa symptoms explained

  1. Binge Eating
  2. Purging
  3. Bingeing and Purging occurs more than 2 x a week for at least 3 months
  4. Body Image: Self-evaluation and self-esteem is overly influenced by weight and shape

 

Binge Eating Disorder
Binge-eating disorder is characterized by recurrent binge-eating episodes during which a person feels a loss of control over his or her eating. Unlike bulimia, binge-eating episodes are not followed by purging, excessive exercise or fasting. As a result, people with binge-eating disorder often are overweight or obese. They also experience guilt, shame and/or distress about the binge-eating, which can lead to more binge-eating.

In 1997, binge eating disorder (BED) was included into the DSM-IV as a provisional diagnostic category requiring further study. About 30% of the participants in weight loss programs meet criteria for BED. The prevalence of BED in the general population is 2%; BED is 1.5 times more common in women than men. In treating obese patients with BED there are several potential goals of treatment, including cessation of binge eating and improvement of eating-related psychopathology (e.g. concerns about weight and shape, restraint eating), weight loss or prevention of further weight gain, improvement of physical health, and reduction of psychiatric comorbidity. Contrary to expectations, weight loss programs do not appear to worsen the eating disorder, and successful treatment of binge eating does not automatically promote weight loss. Controlled treatment studies have shown that psychotherapeutic approaches and drug treatment may successfully reduce binge eating episodes in patients with BED. Remission rates are generally high (e.g. 50% and more following cognitive behavioral therapy), and the overall prognosis is better than for patients with bulimia nervosa.

 

Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified
This category is frequently used for people who meet some, but not all, of the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. For example, a person who shows almost all of the symptoms of anorexia nervosa, but who still has a normal menstrual cycle and/or body mass index, can be diagnosed with EDNOS. A sufferer may experience episodes of binging and purging, but may not do so frequently enough to warrant a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa. A person may also engage in binging episodes without the use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors; this is referred to as binge eating disorder.

People diagnosed with EDNOS may frequently switch between different eating disorders, or may with time fit all diagnostic criteria for anorexia or bulimia.

People who eat a normal amount of food, but become exceedingly obsessed with healthy eating, or strictly categorize normal foods or entire food groups as “safe” and “off-limits”, may be referred to as having orthorexia. However, this diagnosis is not formally accepted by the APA or in the DSM-IV.

All of the criteria for anorexia nervosa are met except that, despite substantial weight loss, the individual’s current weight is in the normal range.

All of the criteria for bulimia nervosa are met except that binge eating and inappropriate compensatory mechanisms occur at a frequency of less than twice a week or for a duration of less than 3 months.

The regular use of inappropriate compensatory behavior by an individual of normal body weight after eating small amounts of food (eg; self-induced vomiting after the consumption of two cookies). Starving one’s self but not losing a substantial amount of weight. Repeatedly chewing and spitting out, but not swallowing, large amounts of food.

Information from the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders: www.anad.org

 

Resources: UNM and Albuquerque

The WRC offers crisis intervention and information referral. Check the WRCCalendar of Events for specific programs. Phone (505) 277-3716

UNM students can contact Counseling and Therapy Services (CATS) for individual and occasional group counseling. Phone (505) 277-4537

Counseling, Assistance & Referral Services (CARS) provide a confidential and accessible setting for faculty and staff to freely discuss concerns that affect their personal lives or job performance.

UNM Student Health & Counseling - Phone (505) 277-3136
www.unm.edu/~shc1/

UNM Hospitals - Phone (505) 272-2111
hospitals.unm.edu/

Resources: National

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
http://anad.org/

Weight Control Information Network
http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/binge.htm

Freedom you Addiction Center
www.freedomyou.com/compulsive_eating/compusive%20eating%20signs.htm

Links are for information only. The WRC does not constitute 
endorsement or accuracy of the information.


Updated May 17, 2011