Eating Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 2 Nov 2026
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - About This Section - FAQs - Publications - Subtopics
Synopsis
Understand eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder, with information on their types, causes, symptoms, and treatment.
At a Glance
- 1 - Binge-eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States.
- 2 - About 10,200 deaths a year in the United States are a direct result of an eating disorder.
- 3 - Family-based treatment can improve eating disorder treatment outcomes, particularly for adolescents.
- 4 - Most people with bulimia are at or above a normal weight, which can make the illness hard to recognize.
Topic Definition
- Eating Disorders
An eating disorder is a serious mental health condition marked by a persistent disturbance in eating or eating-related behavior that changes how a person consumes or absorbs food and harms their physical health, emotional well-being, or social life. Rather than being a lifestyle choice or a matter of willpower, these are psychological illnesses in which abnormal eating habits - whether eating too little or too much - take hold and become difficult to control. The most familiar forms are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, along with a broader category for patterns that do not fit neatly into one specific diagnosis. Their causes are complex and rarely traced to a single source, often involving a mix of biological, psychological, personal, and social pressures, and because they can affect nearly every organ in the body, early recognition and proper treatment are important for recovery.
Overview
What are Eating Disorders?
An eating disorder is a serious mental illness marked by a persistent disturbance in eating or eating-related behavior that changes how a person eats or absorbs food and harms their physical health or their ability to function at home, school, work, or socially. Eating disorders are not a lifestyle choice. They can affect people of any age, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, body size, or income [National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.-a].
The best-known eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, which is the most common. Other types include avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED). Eating disorders are often long-term illnesses that can cause great suffering for people and their families, but with treatment, many people recover fully.
Types of Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa means "loss of appetite," but people with anorexia have not lost their appetite. They restrict how much they eat because of an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted view of their body, and they usually weigh much less than is healthy for their age and height. Some people with anorexia only restrict food and often exercise excessively (restricting type); others also binge-eat and purge (binge-eating/purging type). Anorexia has one of the highest death rates of any mental illness, from both medical complications and suicide.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa involves repeated episodes of binge-eating, eating a large amount of food in a short time with a sense of loss of control, followed by behaviors meant to make up for it, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or excessive exercise. To be diagnosed, these episodes must happen at least once a week for three months. Most people with bulimia are at or above a normal weight, which can make it hard to recognize. Some people move between anorexia and bulimia over time.
Binge-Eating Disorder
Binge-eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States. People have repeated episodes of eating large amounts of food with a sense of loss of control, often feeling distress, shame, or guilt afterward. Unlike bulimia, binges are not regularly followed by purging, fasting, or excessive exercise, so many people with binge-eating disorder have overweight or obesity.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
People with ARFID eat very little or avoid many foods because of sensitivity to taste, texture, or smell, fear of choking or vomiting, or a lack of interest in eating, rather than concern about body shape or weight. It often begins in childhood and can lead to weight loss, poor growth, and nutrient shortages.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
OSFED, called eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) before the DSM-5 in 2013, describes serious eating disorders that do not meet all the criteria for another diagnosis, such as atypical anorexia, in which a person has the features of anorexia but is not underweight. An intense focus on eating only foods considered healthy, sometimes called orthorexia, is not a formal diagnosis.
What Causes Eating Disorders?
No single cause has been found. Eating disorders arise from a mix of genetic, biological, psychological, and social factors. They often run in families, and twin studies show that genes play an important part. Psychological factors include perfectionism, anxiety, low self-esteem, and a need for control. Social pressure to be thin, dieting, weight-related teasing or bullying, and stressful or traumatic events can help trigger an eating disorder in someone who is vulnerable.
Who is at Risk?
Eating disorders most often begin in the teens and young adult years, but they can start in childhood or later in life. Risk is higher in people with a family history of eating disorders or other mental illnesses, in people with anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, in people with a history of dieting, and in those who take part in activities that focus on weight or appearance, such as ballet, modeling, gymnastics, figure skating, running, diving, and wrestling. Eating disorders affect people of all genders, and boys and men are often diagnosed late.
Warning Signs
Signs that may point to an eating disorder include:
- Dramatic weight loss or frequent changes in weight
- Constant dieting, skipping meals, or eating only tiny portions
- Preoccupation with food, calories, weight, or body shape
- Eating in secret or hiding food
- Going to the bathroom right after meals
- Compulsive exercise, even when ill or injured
- Feeling cold, tired, or dizzy
- Dry skin, hair loss, or fine downy hair on the body
- Absent or irregular menstrual periods
- Swollen cheeks or jaw and tooth damage from vomiting
- Withdrawal from friends and social activities, anxiety, or depression
Health Risks
Eating disorders can affect nearly every organ in the body. Starvation and purging can cause dangerous changes in heart rhythm, low blood pressure, kidney damage, electrolyte imbalances that can lead to seizures or sudden death, loss of bone density (osteoporosis), damage to the esophagus and teeth, constipation and other digestive problems, infertility, and problems with growth and development in children and teens. About 10,200 deaths each year in the United States, about one every 52 minutes, are a direct result of an eating disorder [Deloitte Access Economics, 2020].
Treatment
Treatment works best when it starts early and is tailored to the person. It usually involves a team that may include a doctor, a mental health professional, and a registered dietitian. Care may be given in outpatient visits, intensive or partial hospital programs, residential programs, or a hospital when there are serious medical risks.
- Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for bulimia, binge-eating disorder, and some people with anorexia. Family-based treatment, in which parents take an active role in restoring healthy eating, can improve outcomes, particularly for adolescents.
- Nutrition support: A dietitian helps restore regular eating and a healthy weight with a structured meal plan rather than a diet.
- Medical care: Doctors monitor and treat physical complications, and people with low bone density may need calcium and vitamin D.
- Medicines: Some medicines may help treat bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder and ease anxiety or depression that often occur alongside eating disorders. No medicines are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat anorexia nervosa or ARFID [National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.-a].
Eating Disorder Facts and Statistics
- An estimated 28.8 million Americans alive today will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives [Deloitte Access Economics, 2020].
- Among U.S. adults, the lifetime prevalence is about 2.8% for binge-eating disorder, 1.0% for bulimia nervosa, and 0.6% for anorexia nervosa [National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.-b].
- Many people with eating disorders never receive treatment for them.
- Eating disorders occur around the world, and rates have risen in many countries in recent decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can men develop eating disorders?
Yes. While eating disorders are more common in women, men also develop them, and estimates suggest around one million men in the United States are affected.
Are eating disorders a lifestyle choice?
No. Eating disorders are recognized psychological illnesses, not choices, and they often require professional medical, nutritional, and mental health support to treat.
What is orthorexia?
Orthorexia describes an intense obsession with healthy eating and rigidly labeling foods as safe or off-limits, though it is not formally recognized as a diagnosis.
Can a person have more than one eating disorder?
Yes. People can shift between patterns over time or meet the criteria for more than one disorder, and many individuals experience overlapping symptoms.
Who is most at risk of developing an eating disorder?
Risk is higher for young people, those with a family history, and people in activities focused on weight or appearance such as ballet, gymnastics, and modeling.
How are eating disorders treated?
Treatment is tailored to the individual and usually combines medical evaluation, nutritional therapy, psychotherapy, and, when needed, medication for related symptoms.
Where can someone find help for an eating disorder?
A doctor or psychiatrist is a good first step, and specialized treatment centers, therapists, and support organizations can provide further care and guidance.
What is avoidant restrictive food intake disorder?
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID, is an eating disorder in which a person eats very little or avoids many foods because of sensory sensitivity, fear of choking or vomiting, or lack of interest in eating. Unlike anorexia, it is not driven by concern about body shape or weight.
References
- Deloitte Access Economics. (2020). The social and economic cost of eating disorders in the United States of America. Report for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders.
- National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.-a). Eating disorders: What you need to know.
- National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.-b). Eating disorders statistics.
Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team. Last updated: