Disordered Eating
Disordered eating and eating disorders share some commonalities, but it’s important to recognise that they’re not the same. Where an eating disorder is a clinical diagnosis, disordered eating refers to abnormal eating patterns that don’t meet the criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis. Someone with an eating disorder may exhibit disordered eating behaviours, but not all people with disordered eating will be diagnosed with an eating disorder.
Signs and symptoms of disordered eating may include, but aren’t limited to:
- Avoiding certain food groups
- Binge eating, compulsive eating and feeling of loss of control over food
- Calorie restriction or extreme dieting
- Eating due to boredom
- Eating to deal with emotions
- Elaborate rituals related to food and eating
- Eating the same things every day
- Feeling guilt or shame for eating or eating certain foods
- Labelling foods as “good” or “bad”
- Only eating certain foods
- Preoccupation with food, weight and body image that negatively impacts quality of life
- Self-inducing vomiting
- Skipping meals
- Taking an all or nothing approach to healthy eating
- Using diet pills or supplements to lose weight
- Using exercise, food restriction or fasting to compensate for food eaten
It’s important that if you are experiencing symptoms of disordered eating, that you address these. Early intervention will give you the best chance of these behaviours not developing into an eating disorder.
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