The Truth About Eating Disorders
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The Truth About Eating Disorders
Dispelling eating disorder myths and providing education and encouragement for a lasting recovery
by JHollandERC Blogs »
The Truth About Eating Disorders »
Understanding Eating Disorders Diagnoses and Current TrendsOctober 12, 2010
Understanding Eating Disorders Diagnoses and Current TrendsAlthough certain eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia are well-known, there are other terms being used that are not so common and in fact are not official diagnoses. There are three official eating disorders diagnoses: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Within each of these diagnoses, eating disorders treatment professionals have seen a variety of ‘types of eating disorders’. Binge eating disorder (BED) is a type of eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures, such as purging through vomiting, restrictive eating and/or over-exercising, to counter the binge eating.
The following terms are not recognized medical diagnoses, but have recently evolved in the media and have been used to describe some of the eating disorders “trends” seen in recent years.
Orthorexia is a popular term that refers to an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy foods. This may seem a bit odd – how can focusing on eating healthy foods be bad for you? However, when a focus on healthy foods becomes extreme and an obsession, it can be quite dangerous.
These severe dietary restrictions may transgress, leading to anorexic behaviors, severe malnutrition or even death.
Pregorexia is term coined for a subtype of anorexia. It exists when a woman who is pregnant restricts calories and/or over-exercises due to a fear of gaining additional weight or in an effort to maintain or lose weight while pregnant.
Calorie restriction during pregnancy can be quite harmful not only to the mother, but to the baby as well. It can cause vitamin deficiencies in both the mother and baby and possible growth retardation and other birth defects in the baby.
Drunkorexia is a slang term that describes the practice of minimizing or restricting food intake in order to consume more alcohol (and the calories from alcohol). In an unhealthy manner to maintain weight, many individuals will go without meals if anticipating a drinking session later in the day or week. The mixing of eating disorders and alcohol can be a dangerous cocktail.
Exercise bulimia is a sub type of bulimia nervosa. It occurs when an individual excessively exercises in an effort to burn calories and fat reserves. This behavior negatively affects his or her health. Read an earlier post of mine for more information about exercise bulimia.
Diabulimia is a term used to describe a disordered eating behavior in individuals with Type 1 diabetes. In this diabetic eating disorder, individuals will deliberately give themselves less insulin than they need for the purpose of weight loss. The lack of insulin places the body in a starvation state leaving it unable to process sugars. In this state the body excretes any consumed sugars rather than using them for energy or storing them as fat.
I encourage you not to automatically assume that someone’s effort to eat healthier or maintain an exercise schedule is an eating disorder or cause for concern. However, if you’re worried that a friend or loved one may be overly concerned with his or her body’s appearance, set aside a time to talk and express your concerns in a thoughtful manner. Additionally, contact a local resource or chat confidentially online with Eating Recovery Center (www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com) to get your questions and concerns answered.
Is there a topic related to eating disorders that you’d like to see me discuss on this blog? Please feel free to comment below with any topic suggestions or questions about this particular post
Dispelling eating disorder myths and providing education and encouragement for a lasting recovery
by JHollandERC Blogs »
The Truth About Eating Disorders »
Understanding Eating Disorders Diagnoses and Current TrendsOctober 12, 2010
Understanding Eating Disorders Diagnoses and Current TrendsAlthough certain eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia are well-known, there are other terms being used that are not so common and in fact are not official diagnoses. There are three official eating disorders diagnoses: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Within each of these diagnoses, eating disorders treatment professionals have seen a variety of ‘types of eating disorders’. Binge eating disorder (BED) is a type of eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures, such as purging through vomiting, restrictive eating and/or over-exercising, to counter the binge eating.
The following terms are not recognized medical diagnoses, but have recently evolved in the media and have been used to describe some of the eating disorders “trends” seen in recent years.
Orthorexia is a popular term that refers to an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy foods. This may seem a bit odd – how can focusing on eating healthy foods be bad for you? However, when a focus on healthy foods becomes extreme and an obsession, it can be quite dangerous.
These severe dietary restrictions may transgress, leading to anorexic behaviors, severe malnutrition or even death.
Pregorexia is term coined for a subtype of anorexia. It exists when a woman who is pregnant restricts calories and/or over-exercises due to a fear of gaining additional weight or in an effort to maintain or lose weight while pregnant.
Calorie restriction during pregnancy can be quite harmful not only to the mother, but to the baby as well. It can cause vitamin deficiencies in both the mother and baby and possible growth retardation and other birth defects in the baby.
Drunkorexia is a slang term that describes the practice of minimizing or restricting food intake in order to consume more alcohol (and the calories from alcohol). In an unhealthy manner to maintain weight, many individuals will go without meals if anticipating a drinking session later in the day or week. The mixing of eating disorders and alcohol can be a dangerous cocktail.
Exercise bulimia is a sub type of bulimia nervosa. It occurs when an individual excessively exercises in an effort to burn calories and fat reserves. This behavior negatively affects his or her health. Read an earlier post of mine for more information about exercise bulimia.
Diabulimia is a term used to describe a disordered eating behavior in individuals with Type 1 diabetes. In this diabetic eating disorder, individuals will deliberately give themselves less insulin than they need for the purpose of weight loss. The lack of insulin places the body in a starvation state leaving it unable to process sugars. In this state the body excretes any consumed sugars rather than using them for energy or storing them as fat.
I encourage you not to automatically assume that someone’s effort to eat healthier or maintain an exercise schedule is an eating disorder or cause for concern. However, if you’re worried that a friend or loved one may be overly concerned with his or her body’s appearance, set aside a time to talk and express your concerns in a thoughtful manner. Additionally, contact a local resource or chat confidentially online with Eating Recovery Center (www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com) to get your questions and concerns answered.
Is there a topic related to eating disorders that you’d like to see me discuss on this blog? Please feel free to comment below with any topic suggestions or questions about this particular post
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Very Interesting. I, more often than not, know when I am going to have a big night of drinking almost always dont eat much earlier in the day. eeek!!! But, unfortunately, I almost always make up for those calories with mcdonalds breakfast the next day :laugh:0
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As someone who has been anorexic and had issues with food all my life, this is an excellect quick reference to some of the more "hidden" eating disorders. Thanks for posting it.0
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Thank you for posting this. I think we all need a reminder to look out for ourselves and others in this thin-obsessed society.
Keep posting please.0 -
Thanks for posting this. I find myself very thoughtful of the Drunkorexia... I began changing my lifestyle in July. Working out more consistently, and eating healthier. Since joining MFP, I've been making more changes. Now I count calories, and work out and the wine is next on my list. To date, I've saved calories to have wine at night. I will have anywhere from 1 to 3 glasses at night. I know that I have to cut down on the wine if I want to reach my goal of being fit and healthy.
This article was right on time for me... :blushing:
Nancy0 -
Only Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and Eating Disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) are in the DSM (the diagnostic criteria for all mental illnesses), and so only they are actual disorders. I work in mental health and I have worked in an eating disorders unit and with community services, and very rarely will someone presenting with an eating disorder fit into the categories because the criteria are so specific - for example, currently to be diagnosed with anorexia menstruation must have stopped for three months, which comnpletely rules out men. Therefore, most of the people I have seen have EDNOS. The sub-categories are equally useless in my opinion, as no one really neatly fits into these.. people chop and change, will sometimes purge but not binge, or will binge but not purge, will have one large meal a day, or one cracker, or will take hundreds of laxatives, exercise for hours, and still eat nothing, or eat very little but remain at a BMI of 17.6, which is too heavy for the anorexic title. The categories do not fit the patients.
Things like 'orthorexia' are argueably disordered eating as opposed to an eating disorder. Any food restricting due to psychological reasons (as opposed to loss of appetite, other illness) would fall into the regular categories. The reason I'm being so anal about this is that I don't feel that giving people a label helps. Alot of energy is wasted on diagnosis, and people get so hung up about words that don't really mean anything.
Restricting your diet is dangerous. One in four people diagnosed with anorexia nervosa will die, and even figures for bulimics are similarly dangerous: binging wrecks the body, and depletes it of potassium which puts you at a rapid risk of heart failure regardless of weight. If you think you have a problem with food don't pore over google looking for names, see your doctor and get some support. Lots of groups are self-referral, and community nurses will take on patients who do not yet want to change their diets. Seeing a nurse can get you blood tests to ensure you stay out of immediate danger, and although in the UK some patients are forced into hospital briefly, this is only when their life is at serious risk, and even then, it's usually only an overnight stay to get some nutrients in quick.
Sorry to rant, I'm not trying to be vindictive, but these things get a bee in my bonnet..0 -
i was bulimic for 20 years and proud to say that horrible part of my life ended 6 years ago. it messed my body up, my hair, my gums and i'm still paying the price for it now. proper knowledge about food/nutrition helped me get over this aweful habit i was putting my body through. im i still tempted to do so, sure....but i've learned to make better meal choices, change my lifestyle and learned not to be so obsessive about dieting. clean eating was the answer for me and allowing myself cheat meals. I thank God everyday for my husband who was the only person i told and for the help and support he gave me to get healthy again.0
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Can I even say how irritated I am by the author of the op article. Ridiculous. I suffered with bulimia for 7 years not understanding how my body worked and desperate to control my weight. As a counselor for women w/eating disorders I encourage and will continue to encourage them in the direction of passion or driven for what is healthy and beneficial to them rather than destructive behavior. They already demonstrate the drive and passion for what is killing them, they just need to steer in the right direction.
I think that always looking for labels to put on people so they can shell out prescription drugs is a crime. People are killing themselves through their diet. Whether it be over eating or ill educated about how to control their impulses. Most of our health care is not from freak accidents or contracting illnesses genetically but from poor eating. Processed food is killing us yet we continue to buy and consume it. I wish all of our eyes could be opened to see that we need to exercise self control & take every thought captive. Being so self focused is another form of selfishness. We need to realize how we were meant to live. God gave us everything we need to live healthy lives. The power of suggestion is great. We are meant to be a passionate people. For God sake, give the people a break and let's wise up! Educate ourselves and understand how each God given food benefits and nurtures us.
We need friendship. Food and obsession cannot replace healthy relationships. Why does our society isolate us? That's what drives us crazy mentally. We weren't meant to be alone. So independent of one another. Get out there and travel to other countries with a much lower depression rate. You'll find those people well socialized and working together.
The truth about eating disorders is that satan wants us dead, delights that we are killing ourselves and doesn't want us to complete the plan and purpose that God has for our lives. When I realized this, my life forever changed. I became lividly mad and I've never been the same nor will I ever go back.0
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