From a young age, we have all heard about the importance of healthy eating. It plays a crucial role in maintaining our physical health and supporting our mental and emotional well-being. Choosing the right and nutritious foods can significantly enhance our overall health. However, it is also observed that when we consume food in excessive or insufficient amounts, it can lead to various eating disorders. These disorders can adversely affect not just our physical health but also severely disrupt our mental and psychological wellness.
The DSM-5-TR provides comprehensive information on various eating disorders. The main categories of eating disorders included are:
Anorexia Nervosa
People with anorexia nervosa significantly limit their food consumption, leading to a body weight that is considerably lower than what is normal for their age, gender, and developmental stage. They experience an overwhelming fear of gaining weight or becoming overweight, a fear that persists even when they are already underweight.
Severity Classification by BMI
- Mild: A BMI of 17 kg/m² or greater.
- Moderate: A BMI between 16 and 16.99 kg/m².
- Severe: A BMI between 15 and 15.99 kg/m².
- Extreme: A BMI below 15 kg/m².
People with extremely low body weight due to anorexia nervosa commonly display signs of depression, such as feeling down, withdrawing from others, being easily annoyed, having difficulty sleeping, and reduced sexual desire.
The nutritional deficiencies linked to this disorder affect most major systems in the body, resulting in multiple problems. Physical issues, such as the absence of menstrual cycles and abnormal body functions, are prevalent in those with severe anorexia nervosa.
Bulimia Nervosa
Individuals with bulimia nervosa often experience episodes where they consume an abnormally large quantity of food in a brief timeframe, significantly exceeding what would be considered normal for others in comparable circumstances. To prevent weight gain resulting from these binge episodes, they may engage in harmful practices such as forcing themselves to vomit, purging food, engaging in intense workouts, and skipping meals altogether.
Severity Levels
- Mild: 1 to 3 episodes occur per week.
- Moderate: 4 to 7 episodes occur per week.
- Severe: 8 to 13 episodes occur per week.
- Extreme: 14 or more episodes occur per week.
People with bulimia frequently face disruptions in their menstrual cycles, which can vary from irregularity to a complete stop. Disturbances in fluid levels and electrolyte balance are also prevalent.
In severe cases, life-threatening complications can arise, including rips in the esophagus, stomach rupture, and abnormal heart rhythms. Gastrointestinal symptoms are another frequent concern.
Binge-Eating Disorder
People with binge eating disorder often experience episodes where they consume a significantly larger quantity of food in a short period compared to what is considered normal.
During these episodes, they may eat at a rapid pace until they feel overly full, even when their body doesn’t require food, sometimes choosing to eat alone due to shame, and experiencing feelings of revulsion or regret afterward. Episodes cause considerable emotional distress and occur at least once a week for 3 months without the person engaging in compensatory behaviors like those seen in bulimia nervosa.
The impacts of binge eating disorder encompass greater difficulty with daily functioning, diminished well-being, intensified emotional turmoil, and an elevated risk of simultaneous mental health conditions.
Rumination Disorder
Rumination disorder involves the unintentional bringing back up of food for at least one month. This reflexive action often occurs after every meal, day after day. During this process, a person may chew the food again and swallow it or choose to spit it out.
Typically, individuals eat their meals normally, but about 10 to 15 minutes later, undigested food may rise from the esophagus into the mouth. This can last for approximately 1 to 2 hours. Importantly, people do not do this on purpose; it happens naturally without any effort.
The voluntary relaxation of the diaphragm can turn into a habit, much like the normal burping reflex. Instead of just letting out gas, this reflex leads to food coming back up, which is a possible reason for rumination disorder.
Pica
The ongoing consumption of inedible, non-nutritive items for at least one month is a defining feature of pica. Examples of these materials include soap, cloth, hair, soil, chalk, powder, paint, gum, stones, charcoal, ash, or ice. This behavior is considered inappropriate for the individual’s developmental stage.
In some cases of pica, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, like low zinc or iron levels, have been linked to the disorder. However, in many instances, no specific biological issues can be identified. Despite this, pica can still result in severe health problems, including digestive blockages and damage to the intestines.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is characterized by serious problems with eating or feeding. People with this disorder may show little interest in food, avoid certain foods because of how they look or feel, or worry about the negative effects of eating. This condition can lead to:
- Weight Issues: Noticeable weight loss or not gaining enough weight, especially in children.
- Nutritional Shortages: A significant lack of important nutrients.
- Need for Feeding Assistance: Reliance on tube feeding or nutritional supplements.
- Social and Emotional Problems: Major difficulties in social situations and emotional health.
Children with ARFID are more likely to have anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Their eating habits can cause nutritional shortages, leading to not getting enough vitamins and minerals, poor growth, delayed puberty, and needing feeding tubes or supplements.
The lack of proper nutrition from ARFID can result in various health issues such as dizziness, low blood pressure, dehydration, weak bones and muscles, and missed periods.
In Summary
There can be a thin line between various eating disorders, and they usually differ from normal eating habits. If you think there’s a problem with how you eat, or if you notice signs of an eating disorder, it’s important to contact a doctor or mental health expert right away. Getting help quickly can prevent these disorders and lead to effective treatment.
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