Types of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive eating disorder, other specific eating and eating disorder, pica disorder and rumination. Eating disorders are a variety of psychological conditions that cause severe and persistently abnormal eating behaviors. People suffering from these disorders often associate deviation from their eating patterns with distressing thoughts and emotions. For bulimia nervosa, the evidence is limited to a retrospective study that shows that a history of overeating and fast eating in childhood was more frequent in women with bulimia nervosa than in their unaffected sisters25. The result is that inclusion criteria differ between trials and the classification has effectively lost its purpose of defining the same group of patients in research studies and clinical settings.
In addition to the six eating disorders mentioned above, there are also other lesser-known or less common eating disorders. Diagnostic transitions can also extend to a relationship between eating disorders in childhood and eating disorders in adolescence and adulthood. OSFED and unspecified eating disorder (UFED) replaced the category of eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) in earlier versions of the DSM. Men are underrepresented in eating disorder statistics, the stigma of having a condition mainly associated with women often prevents them from seeking help and being diagnosed.
The essential characteristics are binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behavior, such as fasting, vomiting, using laxatives, or exercising to prevent weight gain. However, when DSM-IV criteria are applied to patients attending eating disorder services, the most common diagnosis is EDNOS. This category may be more appropriately referred to as “combined” rather than “mixed” eating disorder. Making the decision to start recovery from an eating disorder can be scary or overwhelming, but seeking help from medical professionals, eating disorder recovery support groups, and your community can make recovery easier.
While objective episodes of binge eating may be associated with a higher body mass index 116,119 and impulsivity 118, subjective and objective binge eating episodes show a similar pattern of psychiatric comorbidity 116,118,119,120,121,122, are associated with similar levels of utilization of services 116,119 and have a similar response to treatment 12,120. Overeating is common in major depressive disorder with atypical features, but people with this disorder will not exhibit the compensatory behaviors or excessive concern for body shape and weight present in bulimia nervosa. Other medications used in binge eating disorder include zonisamide and topiramate, which may be effective in reducing binge eating and losing weight, but have significant side effects that may limit their usefulness. The impact of an eating disorder is not only felt by the individual, but often by that person's entire family or circle of support.
In addition to talking to a therapist or joining a support group (such as Eating Disorders Anonymous), seek support from a trusted friend or family member who can be by your side on your path to recovery. It is important to seek early treatment for eating disorders, as the risk of medical complications and suicide is high (1.
