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Overview

Disordered eating involves the preoccupation with food and weight. It can lead to restrictive or avoidant eating, compulsive overeating or binge eating. These are serious disorders and can cause permanent health problems or even death.

There are three main types of eating disorders:

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a significant weight loss through self-induced starvation. It may start out by eliminated desserts, then restricting bread and potatoes, and progress to the point that all that the individual is eating is celery sticks. Some people with the disorder go to the extreme of counting the calories they consume from the glue after licking a postage stamp!

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by cycles of binge eating and purging. A person binges by rapidly consuming what she considers to be a large amount of food, and then attempts to rid the body of the food by using laxatives, enemas or diuretics, or through self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise. Note that a binge does not necessarily involve a huge quantity of food. While a binge for one person may be four bacon-burgers, for another it could be an extra spoonful of sugar in a cup of coffee. Those with bulimia may experience frequent fluctuations in weight, often within a 10- to 15-pound range.

Binge eating is characterized by binging but not purging. This disorder occurs primarily in the obese who continue to put on weight as a result of their binge eating. They tend to binge in secret, eating large amounts of high calorie foods.

Eating disorders are primarily an illness of young women; they typically start during adolescence. About three per cent of women will be affected by an eating disorder during their lifetime, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada's Report on Mental Illnesses in Canada. Men suffer from eating disorders at about one-tenth the rate of women, except in the case of binge eating where men and women are almost on an equal footing.

People with an eating disorder tend to lead joyless lives. Obsessed with food and eating, they feel hungry all the time and think about food constantly. They have little or no energy for work or school, friends and family and often suffer from depression.

Cause

Researchers are still trying to figure out what causes eating disorders, but most experts believe that an eating disorder is an expression of an underlying psychological problem. People with an eating disorder may have suffered a trauma, such as psychological, physical or sexual abuse, or come from a family in which the caregivers were addicted to alcohol or drugs. Or an individual may have begun to develop this complex syndrome while struggling with a difficult transition, such as the breakup of a relationship. Hereditary factors have been shown to play a role in the development of anorexia nervosa.

Symptoms

Here are some signs and behaviours provided by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) that may indicate an eating disorder:

• Low self-esteem
• Social withdrawal
• Claims of feeling fat when weight is normal or low
• Preoccupation with food, weight, counting calories and with what people think
• Denial that there is a problem
• Wanting to be perfect
• Intolerance of others
• Inability to concentrate
• Works out compulsively - even when sick or exhausted
• Goes to the bathroom a lot, especially right after meals
• Vomits after a meal
• Takes laxatives, steroids or any other diet pill
• Has a tendency to faint
• Bruises easily
• Has a very pale complexion

Treatment

You can beat an eating disorder but you're unlikely to beat it alone. Reach out for help. There is individual therapy, group therapy, support groups and self-help groups. If the eating disorder has caused a medical and/or psychological crisis, hospitalization or a more intensive treatment program may be needed.

It can be difficult for people with an eating disorder to seek or accept help because they believe that their only problem is that they are fat. However, the longer the symptoms are denied, the more difficult recovery will be. As with many disorders, there's a better chance of recovering if the problem is treated in its early stages.

If you feel that you may have a weight issue that is preventing you from enjoying life, speak with your physician.

Complications

Eating disorders come with a high risk of other mental and physical illnesses. People with anorexia or bulimia may develop serious physical problems such as heart conditions, electrolyte imbalances and kidney failure, which could prove fatal. Those with anorexia are more susceptible to major depression, alcohol dependence and anxiety disorders, either while they have the eating disorder or later in life.

Medical problems related to self-induced vomiting include painful inflammation of the esophagus and dental problems such as numerous cavities and erosion of tooth enamel. Some people with bulimia misuse syrup of ipecac to induce vomiting. Ipecac contains emetine, which is a muscle poison that builds up in the body and may eventually cause death. Anyone using ipecac should see a physician immediately.

Although binge eating does not cause the same physical problems that can occur with other eating disorders, it does carry tremendous health risks associated with obesity, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers.

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