Summary
Highlights
Eating disorders are serious mental or physical illnesses that can be fatal, characterized by severely affected eating habits and obsessions with food, weight, or body shape. Anorexia nervosa, with the highest mortality rate, involves extremely low body weight due to restriction or purging. Bulimia nervosa involves binge-eating followed by compensatory behaviors like purging or excessive exercise, with individuals maintaining a relatively healthy weight.
Binge-eating disorder is the most common eating disorder, affecting nearly 18 million Americans, and involves recurrent episodes of uncontrolled binging, often leading to individuals being overweight or obese. Eating disorders are also more common in individuals with diabetes; adolescent girls with type 1 diabetes are twice as likely to develop them, and boys with diabetes are more likely to diet or purge. Some with type 1 diabetes dangerously limit insulin to control weight, increasing mortality risk threefold.
Common symptoms of eating disorders include withdrawal from friends and activities, mood swings, menstrual irregularities, and difficulties concentrating. These disorders affect all genders, age groups, ethnicities, and socioeconomic groups, with risk factors ranging from genetics to psychological and social issues like bullying and isolation.
Treatment varies by disorder. For bulimia, cognitive-behavior therapy and antidepressants can be effective. A 2018 study found that physical exercise combined with dietary therapy helps curb compulsive exercise in those with bulimia or binge-eating disorder. Anorexia requires more intervention, including weight restoration through medical professionals and specialized psychotherapy to address body image perceptions. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is studying couple-based interventions for supportive treatment.
Support for eating disorders is available through family, friends, helplines, online forums, and in-person support groups. Many individuals face shame and embarrassment, and their symptoms are sometimes dismissed if they are not underweight. Resources for help are listed in the video's description, and mental health professional Kati Morton offers helpful videos on her channel.