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There are three types of eating disorder behavior.

ANOREXIA NERVOSA

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.

Anorexia Nervosa has five primary symptoms:

1. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal 
   weight for height, body type, age, and activity level.
2. Feeling “fat” or overweight despite dramatic weight loss.
3. Loss of menstrual periods in girls and women post-puberty.
4. Extreme concern with body weight and shape. 
5. Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat.”  

The chances for recovery increase the earlier anorexia nervosa is detected. Therefore, it is important to be aware of some of the warning signs of anorexia nervosa.

Warning Signs of Anorexia Nervosa:

1. Dramatic weight loss.
2. Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat grams, and dieting.
3. Refusal to eat certain foods, progressing to restrictions against whole 
   categories of food (i.e., no carbohydrates, etc.).
4. Frequent comments about feeling “fat” or overweight despite weight loss.
5. Anxiety about gaining weight or being “fat.”
6. Denial of hunger.
7. Development of food rituals (i.e., eating foods in certain orders, excessive chewing, rearranging food on a plate).
8. Consistent excuses to avoid mealtimes or situations involving food.
9. Excessive, rigid exercise regimen--despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury.
10. the need to “burn off” calories taken in.
11. Withdrawal from usual friends and activities.
12. In general, behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns.

Anorexia nervosa involves self-starvation. The body is denied the essential  nutrients it needs to function normally, so it is forced to slow down all of its processes to conserve energy. This “slowing down” can have serious medical consequences.

 

Health Consequences of Anorexia Nervosa:

1. Abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which mean 
   that the heart muscle is changing. The risk for heart failure rises as 
   heart rate and blood pressure levels sink lower and lower.
2. Reduction of bone density (osteoporosis), which results in dry, 
   brittle bones.
3. Muscle loss and weakness.
4. Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure.
5. Fainting, fatigue, and overall weakness.
6. Dry hair and skin, hair loss is common.
7. Growth of a downy layer of hair called lanugo all over the body, 
   including the face, in an effort to keep the body warm. 

Statistics About Anorexia Nervosa:

1. Approximately 90-95% of anorexia nervosa sufferers are girls and women (Gidwani, 1997).
2. Between 1-2% of American women suffer from anorexia nervosa 
   (Zerbe, 1995).
3. Anorexia nervosa is one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses in young women (Hsu, 1996).
4. Between 5-20% of individuals struggling with anorexia nervosa will die.
5. The probabilities of death increases within that range depending on the 
   length of the condition (Zerbe, 1995).
6. Anorexia nervosa has one of the highest death rates of any mental 
   health condition.
7. Anorexia nervosa typically appears in early to mid-adolescence.  

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BULIMIA NERVOSA  

Bulimia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder 
characterized by a secretive cycle of binging and purging.

Bulimia Nervosa has three primary symptoms:

• Eating large quantities of food in short periods of time, often secretly, without regard to feelings of “hunger” or “fullness,” and to the point of feeling “out of control” while eating.
• Following these “binges” with some form of purging or compensatory behavior to make up for the excessive calories taken in: self-induced vomiting, laxative or diuretic abuse, fasting, and/or obsessive or compulsive exercise.
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape.
•  

The chances for recovery increase the earlier bulimia nervosa is 
detected. Therefore, it is important to be aware of some of the warning 
signs of bulimia nervosa.

Warning Signs of Bulimia Nervosa:

• Evidence of binge-eating, including disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time or the existence of 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, rigid exercise regimen--despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury, the need to “burn off” calories taken in.
• Unusual swelling of the cheeks or jaw area.
• Calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles from self-induced 
  vomiting.
• Discoloration or staining of the teeth.
• Creation of complex lifestyle schedules or rituals to make time for 
  binge-and-purge sessions.
• Withdrawal from usual friends and activities.
• In general, behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns.
•  

Bulimia nervosa can be extremely harmful to the body. The recurrent 
binge-and-purge cycles can impact the entire digestive system and can lead to electrolyte and chemical imbalances in the body that affect the heart and other major organ function.

Health Consequences of Bulimia Nervosa:

• Electrolyte imbalances that can lead to irregular heartbeats and 
  possibly heart failure and death. Electrolyte imbalance is caused by 
  dehydration and loss of potassium and sodium from the body as a result of purging behaviors.
• Potential for gastric rupture during periods of bingeing. Inflammation and possible rupture of the esophagus from frequent vomiting.
• Tooth decay and staining from stomach acids released during 
  frequent vomiting.
• Chronic irregular bowel movements and constipation as a result of l
  axative abuse.
• Peptic ulcers and pancreatitis.

About Bulimia Nervosa:

• Bulimia nervosa affects 1-3% of middle and high school girls and 1-4% of college age women.
• Approximately 80% of bulimia nervosa patients are female 
  (Gidwani, 1997).
• People struggling with bulimia nervosa will often appear to be of average body weight.
• Often, people struggling with bulimia nervosa will develop complex 
  schedules or rituals to provide opportunities for binge-and-purge sessions.
• Many people struggling with bulimia nervosa recognize that their behaviors are unusual and perhaps dangerous to their health.

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BINGE EATING DISORDER

Binge Eating Disorder is a newly recognized eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of uncontrolled overeating.  

Binge Eating Disorder has several primary symptoms:

• Frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food in short periods of 
  time often secretly, without regard to feelings of “hunger” or “fullness.”
• Frequent feelings of being “out of control” during binges.
• Eating large quantities of food rapidly, without really tasting the food.
• Eating alone.
• Feelings of shame, disgust, or guilt after a binge.
•  

Binge eating disorder often results in some of the health risks associated with clinical obesity.

Health Consequences of Binge Eating Disorder:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol levels
• Heart disease as a result of elevated triglyceride levels
• Secondary diabetes
• Gallbladder disease

About Binge Eating Disorder:

• The prevalence of binge eating disorder in the general population is still being determined. Researchers estimate that approximately 25% of obese individuals suffer from frequent episodes of binge eating (Fairburn, 1998).
• Binge eating disorder affects women slightly more often than men--
  estimates indicate that about 60% of people struggling with binge eating disorder are female, 40% are male (NIH, 1993).
• People who struggle with binge eating disorder can be of normal or heavier than average weight.
• Many people who suffer from binge eating disorder have a history of depression (NIH, 1993).
• People struggling with binge eating disorder often express distress, shame, and guilt over their eating behaviors.