Eating Disorders 101
A white plate with drawn-on eyes and a downturned mouth is on a pink background. A fork and knife are on the plate.
This page is intended to help introduce what eating disorders are, dispel some common myths about them, explain how they are diagnosed, and lay out some of the ways they are treated.
First, watch the following video from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).
ED 101 information
Check out this Powerpoint presentation from NEDA for detailed information and consider keeping it for later reference [clicking the following link will immediately initiate a file download]: Eating Disorders 101 Slides
Please note, some of the information in the slides above is out of date (using terms from a previous version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, often referred to as the DSM) and includes generalized statements that do not capture all eating disorder experiences.
Additionally, check out this page with statistics on eating disorders.
Busting ED Myths with Facts
Take a few minutes to read this article addressing some common myths about eating disorders.
Next, check out the table below that compares characteristics of some (not all) eating disorders, then complete the knowledge check.
ED Treatment and levels of Care
Read this article from Eating Disorder Hope about eating disorder treatment levels of care and treatment types, and an introduction to therapeutic interventions for eating disorders.
For your reference, this document lays out the diagnostic criteria of the current edition of the DSM and includes some information about conditions that may be included in future editions, like orthorexia.
Neuroscience of EDS
Eating disorders are complex conditions with biopsychosocial causes that no one fully understands yet. We are developing more extensive knowledge about how appetite and reward systems, body image, neurotransmitters, and temperament may play into both development and treatment of eating disorders. Neuroscience has documented various brain and hormonal function trends that go along with eating disorders; for example, people with anorexia have been shown to have elevated leptin levels (the hormone that registered satiety/fullness) and disrupted ghrelin levels (the hormone that triggers hunger) during refeeding/weight restoration, while people with eating disorders involving binge behaviors have lower-than-normal leptin and sometimes also disrupted ghrelin levels.
Neuroscientific studies have also documented unusual brain functions that may explain why people with eating disorders may have distorted body image. For example, fear circuitry may be more reactive, while abnormal activation patterns of the parietal cortex, where sensory information is processed into a body map, are also present. Additionally, disruption in serotonin and dopamine levels (which affect anxiety and pleasure, among other experiences) may also contribute to why disordered eating behaviors persist. This is also linked to findings that reward pathways may be altered in people experiencing eating disorders; this is what makes something like eating more or less rewarding than it is for other people, and these unusual pathways tend to persist after recovery, indicating that they may be present before the disorder’s onset (or perhaps are simply lasting changes from the eating disorder). As you can see, this is an area with a lot of unknowns, but understanding that eating disorders are related to brain and other biological differences can help us remember why eating disorders are considered mental, not physical, illnesses.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out the Neuroscience section (starting on page 64) of the [downloadable PDF] NEDA Parent Toolkit, which is also linked on the Supporting Families page.
Dental Health and EDs
Please review the two resources below:
Generally, the recommendation for reducing potential damage to teeth from purging is to hold off on brushing for 1 hour after purging and alternatively rinse with water or a fluoride mouthwash.
However according to Dr. Mehler, one of the leading medical experts in the treatment of ED, suggests that recommendations have changed and it can be recommended to brush gently with a fluoride toothpaste after purging, followed by a neutral pH mouthwash. (Eating Disorders: A guide to medical care and complications, second edition)