Understanding and Treating Disordered Eating

You may be familiar with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, but the term “disordered eating” is much more loosely defined and not clinically recognized by medical providers. However, engaging in disordered eating patterns can increase your susceptibility to an eating disorder.

Potential disordered eating symptoms include binge eating, excessive fasting, and avoiding entire food groups. Diet culture—health myths about food and eating habits and the conflated relationship between body size and health—has made it increasingly difficult to know when habits labeled as “healthy” fall into a more dangerous category.

Those who do not match stereotypes surrounding eating disorders, like people of various racial and ethnic backgrounds, men, and people with higher body weights, may experience more barriers to recognizing the signs and getting a proper diagnosis.

This article discusses what disordered eating is, including how to spot signs of disordered eating patterns and how it compares to eating disorders.

 

What Is Disordered Eating Exactly?

Disordered eating is a range of irregular eating behaviors, often for purported but not evidence-backed health reasons. It’s tricky to recognize because it may not align with a specific eating disorder diagnosis, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. However, it can still pose significant risks to your physical and mental health.

Some potential signs of disordered eating include:

• An unhealthy preoccupation with food, calories, exercise, and body image
• Binge eating
• Chronic or yo-yo dieting (weight is repeatedly lost and regained)
• Excessive fasting
• Frequently skipping meals
• Not eating entire food groups

When left unmanaged, disordered eating can lead to nutritional deficiencies, compromised immune function, and an increased risk of developing clinically recognized eating disorders.

 

Are Fad Diets Considered Disordered Eating?

Fad diets are characterized by their promise of quick weight loss through restrictive and often unbalanced eating patterns. Some examples are juice cleanses, a cabbage soup diet, and even the Atkins diet or a keto diet done without a medical reason.

Fad diets often eliminate entire food groups or significantly restrict caloric intake and the variety of foods you can eat. Over time, this can set you up for potential nutritional deficiencies and a harmful relationship with food. Focusing on rapid weight loss rather than long-term health can make people feel worse about their bodies and lead to cycles of yo-yo dieting (where weight is repeatedly lost and regained).

Fad diets are popular, and not everyone who follows one develops disordered eating as a result. However, their rigid rules and unsustainable nature can promote unhealthy eating behaviors and relationships with food and your body.

 

Signs and Symptoms of Disordered Eating

Depending on the individual, their behaviors, and underlying triggers, disordered eating may appear differently.

Some common signs and symptoms of disordered eating are:

• Avoiding social eating
• Binge eating or consuming large quantities of food in a short period and often feeling out of control
• Constantly criticizing your body shape or size
• Eating in secret or hiding food to eat later
• Excessively exercising to burn calories
• Experiencing symptoms like fatigue, hair loss, or frequent illnesses due to inadequate nutrition
• Frequent dieting
• Guilt and shame associated with eating, especially after eating “forbidden” foods
• Limiting food intake or avoiding specific food groups without medical reasons
• Obsessive calorie counting
• Preoccupation with food
• Regularly skipping meals
• Significant changes in weight over a short period
• Use of diet pills or laxatives to control weight

 

Disordered Eating vs. Eating Disorders: What’s the Difference?

Disordered eating and eating disorders are related but unique concerns. The key difference between disordered eating and eating disorders lies in the intensity, frequency, and impact of the behaviors.

Disordered eating includes a range of irregular eating behaviors, such as chronic dieting, meal skipping, and binge eating, that don’t automatically meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis. While unhealthy and potentially harmful, disordered eating patterns are often more sporadic and less severe.

Eating disorders include diagnoses like:

• Anorexia nervosa: Characterized by restrictive eating, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image
• Bulimia nervosa: Recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging (vomiting, laxative use) or excessive exercise to prevent weight gain
• Binge-eating disorder: Marked by recurrent episodes of consuming large amounts of food in a short period, accompanied by a sense of loss of control and feelings of distress or guilt
• Avoidant or restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID): Characterized by a severe restriction of all or selected foods in individuals who may be underweight and/or have nutritional deficiencies

These are recognized mental health conditions that have specific diagnostic criteria and are characterized by more severe, persistent, and distressing eating behaviors. When someone has an eating disorder, they typically experience a preoccupation with food, weight, and body shape.

An eating disorder may either be triggered by or may lead to serious physical and mental concerns. An eating disorder requires a professional diagnosis and often a more intensive treatment plan compared to disordered eating.

 

What Causes Disordered Eating?

Unlike normal variations in eating habits, disordered eating is often driven by emotional factors such as stress, anxiety, or low self-esteem. Still, the reasons why someone may fall into disordered eating habits are personal.

Genetics may predispose someone to develop disordered eating behaviors, especially those with a family history of eating disorders, mental health conditions, or obesity. If you grew up in a household in which you experienced disordered eating patterns as the norm, this may also make you more likely to fall into this behavior.

Psychological factors, such as low self-esteem, perfectionism, anxiety, and depression, can also play a role. Emotional eating is a coping mechanism for many, but over time, it could potentially contribute to disordered eating patterns.

Social influences, like pervasive media images about what an ideal body image looks like and the cultural norms around dieting and weight, can also play a significant role in disordered eating.

Furthermore, traumatic experiences like bullying, abuse, or extreme stress can trigger or worsen disordered eating habits.

 

How Weight Stigma and Discrimination Can Prevent ED Diagnoses

Some people experience weight stigma and discrimination that prevent them from receiving the health care they need. For example, individuals with larger bodies often face stereotypes that they are unhealthy or lack self-control. Weight stigma can result in eating disorders being overlooked, misdiagnosed, or minimized.

This stigma can also discourage people from seeking help due to fear of being judged or shamed for their weight. Without an appropriate diagnosis or treatment plan, people may be set up for worsened eating behaviors and health consequences.

 

Disordered Eating Affects All Genders, Races, Body Sizes, and Income Levels

Like most health conditions, disordered eating does not discriminate based on individual traits, including age, gender, body size, income, or ethnicity. We all face challenges like stress, body dissatisfaction, traumas, and the pursuit of societal beauty standards that can trigger disordered eating patterns.

Socioeconomic Status

Disordered eating can affect people of all economic groups. While the specific triggers may vary, the underlying factors behind disordered eating are universal.

People of higher socioeconomic groups might have more access to pricey diet products, gym memberships, and voluntary cosmetic procedures that contribute to their focus on body image. On the other hand, people of lower socioeconomic status may be dealing with factors like lack of access to healthy food access or stress from financial insecurity.

Age

Disordered eating can impact people at any age, from adolescence to older adulthood. It can stem from influences like peer pressure and a desire to mimic others or reflect what is seen in the media.

Teens are especially vulnerable to disordered eating because of the intense social and academic pressures they face. These pressures can lead to unhealthy eating patterns as they navigate identity and self-esteem issues.

For adults, work-related responsibilities, stages of life like pregnancy or menopause, or stressful life transitions can contribute to disordered eating patterns. Even older adults can experience disordered eating, sometimes triggered by health concerns, loneliness, or changes in their physical appearance.

Studies show an increase in women over age 50 seeking out support for chronic, recurrent, or late-onset eating disorders.

Men

The stereotype that disordered eating and body image issues only affect women is inaccurate. While women experience more direct societal pressures around what to eat and what to look like, men also experience specific pressures and stigmas.

As a result, men may engage in behaviors aimed at building a more muscular body or using supplements. The stigma that disordered eating and body image issues are “feminine” issues may discourage them from seeking help. Primary care providers should be educated in identifying disordered eating symptoms among men and help destigmatize the issue.

 

Why Is Disordered Eating so Pervasive?

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), 9% of Americans (roughly 29 million people) will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. The cultural and social influences most people interact with daily—such as social media messaging about food and body size—play a significant role in disordered eating behaviors.

 

How Disordered Eating Is Treated

If you experience disordered eating severe enough to require treatment, successful recovery depends on a comprehensive support system, including therapy, medical care, and a supportive social environment.

One of the most essential pieces of treatment is therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is particularly effective in addressing thought patterns and behaviors that often promote disordered eating. In some cases, a healthcare provider may prescribe medication to address related mental health challenges like depression or anxiety.

The team of professionals should include a registered dietitian who can help address imbalanced eating behaviors and improve the nutritional quality of your diet pattern.

A healthcare team should also help monitor physical health concerns to prevent and manage complications. Support groups can also provide a sense of community and shared understanding.

Recovery Challenges

Personalized treatment, appropriate resources, and ongoing support are essential for long-term recovery. However, depending on how severe someone’s disordered eating patterns have become, recovery can present various challenges.

One of the most common obstacles is the pervasiveness nature of diet culture and societal pressures that reinforce unhealthy body ideals.

Additionally, disordered eating is frequently intertwined with deep-seated emotional and mental challenges like anxiety and perfectionism that can complicate recovery efforts. Developing a healthy relationship with food is a process that involves confronting and unlearning unhealthy patterns.

People in recovery from disordered eating may face stigma or lack of understanding from those around them, further leading to feelings of isolation and discouragement.

 

When to Seek Support for Disordered Eating

It’s essential to get support for disordered eating when it starts to negatively impact your physical or mental health or ability to engage in your everyday functions. Some signs that it’s time to seek professional help include:

• Bingeing and/or purging behaviors
• Engaging in restrictive eating patterns
• Feeling out of control around food
• Ongoing preoccupation with food, weight, and body image
• Significant weight changes
• Using food as a primary coping mechanism

Seeking help early on can help prevent disordered eating from worsening or developing into an eating disorder. If you think you’re struggling with disordered eating, consider reaching out to a trusted healthcare provider, dietitian, therapist, or support group to start addressing it.

 

Summary

Disordered eating is not the same as a diagnosed eating disorder, but that doesn’t mean it requires any less attention or is any less complicated. If you or someone you know is struggling with disordered eating, know that you’re not alone and there are resources to help, regardless of your age, socioeconomic status, or gender. Seeking support as soon as you recognize a problem is important to creating a healthy relationship with food.