EPH Eating Disorder Service

Anorexia nervosa is a condition in which individuals purposefully avoid food, severely restrict their food intake, or consume very small amounts of only specific foods. They also tend to repeatedly weigh themselves, and even when they are dangerously underweight, they may perceive themselves as being overweight. There are two subtypes of anorexia nervosa: a restrictive and a binge-purge subtype.

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurrent episodes of consuming unusually large amounts of food and feeling a lack of control over these eating episodes. This binge-eating behavior is then followed by compensatory actions such as forced vomiting, overuse of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, excessive exercise, or a combination of these behaviors. Individuals with bulimia nervosa may have a body weight that is slightly below, within, or above the normal range.

Binge-eating disorder is a condition characterized by a loss of control over eating and recurring episodes of consuming large amounts of food. Unlike bulimia nervosa, individuals with binge-eating disorder do not follow periods of binge-eating with purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. Consequently, people with this disorder often struggle with being overweight or obese. Binge-eating disorder is the most prevalent eating disorder in the United States.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a condition characterized by limited food intake in quantity and variety. Individuals with ARFID do not have a distorted body image or an intense fear of gaining weight. This disorder is most prevalent in middle childhood and typically manifests earlier than other eating disorders. A child with ARFID consumes insufficient calories for proper growth and development, and an adult with ARFID does not consume enough calories to maintain basic bodily functions.

Diabulimia is a term that describes a dangerous combination of diabetes management and eating disorder symptoms. It involves intentionally reducing or omitting insulin doses by individuals with Type 1 diabetes to control body weight or shape. This behavior reflects a form of disordered eating where individuals prioritize weight loss or body image over proper diabetes management

Individuals with Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED) may exhibit numerous symptoms associated with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder without meeting the complete diagnostic criteria for these specific disorders. It's important to note that the severity and danger of the eating disorder should not be underestimated.