Eating disorders are multi-layered and have differing components, such as behaviors, thoughts, and emotions and feelings. And while millions of people experience eating disorders, even more can experience the difficulty of disordered eating. Disordered eating is a component of eating disorders, but can still be present when a person is not fully diagnosable; but it does not mean this is an unserious matter. Disordered eating can have effects on a person’s wellbeing and view of self-image and esteem. In a society where body image, health, and wellness is emphasized, we can actually be engaging in disordered eating behaviors without realizing it.
How Does Disordered Eating Present Itself?
Disordered eating has a full range of possible ways to present and manifest. Some common forms include and are not limited to:
- Restrictive dieting. This can include taking out major food groups, such as limiting carbohydrate intake, avoiding gluten and dairy (when not medically necessary), or overemphasis on eating “clean”.
- Binge eating. This can occur when limiting meals or only allowing self to eat large volumes of food at a time.
- Over compensatory behaviors. This can include exercising excessively, purging behaviors, and restriction by limiting meals or caloric intake.
- Only eating what you prepare.
- Avoiding eating in social situations.
- Secret eating. Hiding food and eating in secrecy and solitude.
- Avoiding feeling full.
- Attaching food with self-worth. This can look like an individual asking their self if if they even deserve to eat a meal based off of their own standards and core beliefs.
- Fad dieting. Going with the trending diet, without the supervision of a medical or dietary professional.
How is Disordered Eating a Problem?
Eating disorders are considered to be a serious threat to mental, physical, and emotional health. They are powerful and can have effects throughout the lifetime. There are multiple layers to eating disorders and their impetus: family history, trauma history, environmental factors, social pressures and standards, behaviors, and much more. Disordered eating behaviors and disorder thoughts surrounding body image and food can be present. This can happen even before the development of a fully diagnosable eating disorder.
Engagement in disordered eating is very common. Look at any old magazine, and there is likely a “lose 5 pounds in 2 days” type phrase, offering the solution to quick weight loss. And at times the effects of disordered eating is praised by peers and loved ones. They might not have an idea that it is present; unknowingly reinforcing the behaviors. And while they can be precursory and even have the potential to never reach the point of an anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa (just to name a few) diagnosis, they can still have lasting emotional, psychological, and physical effects.
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