

UNDERSTANDING EATING DISORDERS
"An eating disorder is a mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations." (NHS)
Unhealthy eating behaviours may include either eating too much or too little.
Types of Eating Disorders (NHS)
The most common eating disorders are:
anorexia nervosa – trying to control your weight by not eating enough food, exercising too much, or doing both
bulimia – losing control over how much you eat and then taking drastic action to not put on weight
binge eating disorder (BED) – eating large portions of food until you feel uncomfortably full
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
A person may have an OSFED even if their symptoms do not exactly fit the expected symptoms for any other eating disorder.
OSFED is the most common eating disorder, and anyone of any age, gender, ethnicity, or background can experience it. (Beat Eating Disorders, 2023)
Some specific examples of OSFED include:
Atypical Anorexia
Binge eating disorder
Night eating syndrome
To read for more about OSFED click here
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
ARFID is when someone avoids certain foods, limits how much they eat or both.
Negative feelings over the smell, taste, or texture of certain foods and a lack of interesting in eating are just two reasons why people might develop AFRID. (Beating Eating Disorders, 2023)
Getting Help for an Eating Disorder
See your GP for help.
The GP will ask about your eating habits and how you're feeling, plus check your overall health and weight. (NHS)
They may refer you to an eating disorder specialist or team of specialists.
Getting Help for Someone Else
It can be a very difficult to have that conversation with someone you're worried might have an eating disorder, but it is important that you let them know that you care about them and encourage them to see a GP.
This conversation can be especially hard when the person has not yet realized or is in denial of their situation.
Read more about 'what to do if you're worries about a friend or a family member' (BEAT)
Read more about 'what to do if you're worried about a colleague' (BEAT)
Understanding Eating Disorders
"Globally, about 10% of people will experience an eating disorder during their lifetime. And yet, eating disorders are profoundly misunderstood. Misconceptions about everything from symptoms to treatment make it difficult to navigate an eating disorder or support someone you love as they do so." Anees Bahji
Eating Disorders: Self Help Guide Leaflet NHS 2020
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