Eating Disorders

What are eating disorders?

An eating disorder is a serious condition that significantly impacts a person and their relationship with food in ways that can put overall health at risk. Thoughts and ideas around how food is consumed can become rigid and may eventually control daily life and physical wellbeing.

Someone with an eating disorder may:

  • Restrict food
  • Eat in a way that feels out of control
  • Consume items that are not edible
  • Vomit after eating to control weight or body shape

These behaviours are closely tied to difficulties with emotion regulation and self-worth. Depending on the behaviour present, they may fall under different eating disorder diagnoses.

woman eating healthy food at home

What are the different types of eating disorders?

There are many different types of eating disorders, each affecting people in slightly different ways. Some have clearly defined diagnostic features, while others are harder to place neatly under one label because symptoms overlap or change. Below is a clear look at the main eating disorders, how they present and the harm they can cause when left unaddressed.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia is characterised by persistent food restriction, intense fear of weight gain and a distorted perception of body shape. As intake drops, the body is forced to function without enough energy or nutrients. This can lead to serious medical complications, including heart rhythm disturbances, weakened bones, hormonal disruption and increased risk of organ failure.

Anorexia nervosa

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

ARFID involves avoiding food due to sensory sensitivities, fear of choking or vomiting or lack of interest in eating, rather than body image concerns. The limited intake can prevent the body from getting what it needs to grow and function properly. Over time, this may result in nutritional deficiencies, weight loss and delayed physical development.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

Binge eating disorder

Binge eating disorder involves repeated episodes of consuming large amounts of food while feeling a loss of control. These episodes are often followed by shame or distress, but not compensatory behaviours. The physical strain of frequent bingeing can increase the risk of metabolic conditions, digestive problems and cardiovascular strain, alongside significant emotional distress.
Binge eating disorder

 

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia is marked by cycles of binge eating followed by behaviours intended to prevent weight gain, such as vomiting or misuse of laxatives. These repeated cycles place stress on mental health as well as damage to the teeth and digestive system. Electrolyte imbalances are also common and can lead to dangerous heart complications if untreated.

Bulimia nervosa

Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED)

OSFED includes eating disorders that cause serious distress but do not fit neatly into other diagnostic categories. Symptoms may resemble anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder without meeting every criterion. Despite being less clearly defined, OSFED carries similar physical and psychological risks, including medical instability and increased risk of long-term health complications.

Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED)

Pica

Pica involves repeatedly eating non-food substances such as soil, paper, rock or chalk. Consuming non-edible items can cause poisoning, intestinal blockages, infections and damage to internal organs, making it potentially dangerous without appropriate assessment and support.

Pica

What are the main causes of eating disorders?

Eating disorders develop through a combination of influences rather than a single cause. No one factor explains why an eating disorder begins, and instead, several vulnerabilities can come together, pushing someone toward disordered eating.

Although these conditions frequently appear during adolescence, they can affect people of any age and gender.

Biological and genetic factors
  • Research strongly suggests that genetics plays a role in the development of eating disorders. Family and twin studies show a higher likelihood of an eating disorder when a close relative is affected, pointing to inherited vulnerability.
  • Differences in brain chemistry linked to appetite, mood regulation and reward processing have also been identified, which may make some individuals more sensitive to changes in eating behaviour.
  • Emerging research is exploring how the gut and immune system may influence appetite and weight regulation, although this area is still developing.
Psychological factors
  • Certain emotional patterns and personality traits appear more frequently in people with eating disorders. These include high perfectionism, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, impulsivity, anxiety and neuroticism, which can make rigid eating patterns feel appealing or soothing.
  • Eating disorders also commonly exist alongside conditions such as depression or trauma-related difficulties.
  • Low self-worth and dissatisfaction with body shape can also further reinforce disordered eating, which may feel like a way to regain control or reduce emotional discomfort.
Sociocultural and environmental factors
  • Social pressures around appearance can strongly influence eating behaviour. In societies that place value on thinness, people may feel pressure to change their bodies to fit narrow ideals.
  • Media and social media exposure can intensify body dissatisfaction, particularly when images promote unrealistic standards.
  • Experiences such as weight-related teasing, chronic stress or early trauma are also linked to a higher risk of developing an eating disorder.

young woman eating fruits in home

Is an untreated eating disorder dangerous?

Eating disorders are extremely dangerous when left untreated, because the longer the illness remains active, the greater the strain placed on both physical and mental health.

 

This is most clearly seen in anorexia nervosa, which has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition, with death rates several times higher than those seen in the general population.

Bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are also associated with increased mortality, largely because the behaviours involved continue to place the body under sustained physiological stress.

As that stress continues, physical systems begin to deteriorate, and severe food restriction leads to malnutrition. This weakens the heart and increases vulnerability to dangerous heart rhythm disturbances. At the same time, reduced nutrient intake interferes with bone health, increasing fracture risk and limiting the body’s ability to repair itself.

In bulimia, repeated vomiting or laxative misuse disrupts fluid and electrolyte balance, and this imbalance directly raises the risk of sudden cardiac events and severe dehydration. Where binge eating is present, the ongoing metabolic load places added pressure on the cardiovascular system and internal organs.

Without treatment, the consequences of eating disorders can escalate quickly and become life-threatening, underlining why recognising the condition and accessing treatment matters.

What are the next steps?

If you have noticed signs of an eating disorder in your life, whether in yourself or in someone close to you, reaching out for professional support can make a meaningful difference. Eating disorders are serious, yet they are treatable with the right care in place. Taking the step to seek help opens the door to recovery and to a life that is no longer dominated by food or distress around it. You do not have to face this alone, and support is available. Talk to us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can eating disorders be genetic?
Genetics can increase vulnerability to eating disorders by influencing traits like emotional sensitivity and appetite regulation. Genetics alone do not cause an eating disorder, but they can raise the overall risk.
Are eating disorders considered a mental illness?
Eating disorders are classified as mental health conditions because they involve persistent changes in thinking, behaviour and emotional regulation. They are formally recognised within clinical diagnostic frameworks.
How many types of eating disorders are there?
Clinicians recognise several eating disorder diagnoses rather than a fixed number. These include conditions defined by restrictive eating, bingeing behaviours or avoidance patterns that affect physical and psychological health.

(Click here to see works cited)