Types of Eating Disorders

There are many different types of eating disorders, but they are all characterized by an inability or unwillingness to maintain a healthy relationship with food. Usually, all types of eating disorders will leave the victim either underweight or overweight, and eating disorders often have inherent psychological factors as well. The main three types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and addictive eating disorder.

First, there’s anorexia, probably the most common and well known of all the eating disorders. In this eating disorder, the victim purposely avoids eating an adequate amount so that she can either lose more weight or avoid gaining additional weight. While not eating does make you thin, it also prevents you from getting vital nutrients and energy to support your body. There’s a reason people eat, and that’s to maintain all of their bodily functions.

The reason anorexic people look so thin and frail is because their bodies are not able to sustain them on next to no calories. Their bodies actually eat up their own muscles and organs to keep them alive. Anorexia is not only a serious physical disorder, but a serious mental one as well. On the mental side, anorexic victims often cite a need for control as a motivation for their anorexia. Basically, they feel in control of at least one aspect of their lives when they deny themselves something that their bodies desperately need.

Another of the most common types of eating disorders is bulimia. This condition can be even more serious than anorexia. A bulimic person will intentionally induce vomiting, exercise excessively after eating, or abuse laxatives and diuretics to keep from absorbing calories and putting on weight. Unfortunately, as with anorexia, someone who is not absorbing the nutrients and calories needed to survive is going to get sick.

Unlike anorexia, though, bulimia has another serious side effect: for those that use frequent vomiting to purge their bodies, over time this can cause their stomach acid to eat away at their esophagus, the lining of their throat, and their teeth. Those that do too much exercise will break down muscles, bones, and joints. If they abuse laxatives and diuretics, they can become dependent and also damage their digestive system. The other main feature of bulimia is frequent purging, sometimes preceded by a binge in which the victim is unable to control her intake of food and eats way more than a normal portion in one sitting.

Of the many types of eating disorders, the other very common type is called an addictive eating disorder. A lot of people use food to self-medicate, especially when they are depressed, and too much food can cause morbid obesity and a number of unhealthy side effects. This is also very much a psychological condition that has physical repercussions.
While it can be hard for a victim to tell what is normal anymore, an ideal diet should consist of all three macronutrients: carbohydrate, protein, and good fat. It should nourish the body, and it should be enough to support their daily activity. If you or someone you know throws away food or is losing weight at an alarming rate, you should make sure to seek professional help.