Editor's note: In The WellNest Watch, master's degree candidates in the public health program at EMU's School of Health Promotion and Human Performance explore news, research and standard practices in the field of health and wellness.
February is National Eating Disorder Awareness Month, so this week we’re bringing attention to this common, yet poorly understood, topic.
Starting with some statistics; did you know?
- 9% of the U.S. population will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.
- Every 52 minutes, one person dies as a direct consequence of an eating disorder.
- Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness behind opiate addiction.
- Fewer than 6% of people with an eating disorder are medically underweight. In other words, 94% of eating disorder sufferers are of normal or higher body weights.
When healthy eating goes bad
January hits, and your social media feeds are filled with “New Year, new you” messaging, an intense focus on food and fitness and the start of other, overly ambitious, health and wellness trends. Discounted gym memberships, diet hacks and over-hyped supplements prey on bodily insecurities and desires to improve our health. However, goals that begin with good intentions to “get healthy” can be a slippery slope to disordered eating and eating disorders.
Disordered eating vs. eating disorders
Think of eating behaviors on a spectrum ranging from intuitive, unrestricted eating, to pathological. Eating disorders live on one side of the spectrum, with disordered eating closer to the middle.
Eating disorders are clinically diagnosed psychiatric conditions. They are serious mental health conditions — not phases or lifestyle choices — that involve disruptions in eating behaviors, thoughts about food and body image and ways of coping with stress or emotions. While disordered eating is also characterized by problematic eating behaviors, it is often associated with health and societally reinforced.
Signs of disordered eating:
- Frequent dieting
- “Clean” eating
- An obsession with healthy eating
- Cutting out “bad” foods
- Fasting and/or skipping meals
- Rigid food rules
- Extreme exercise routines
What are eating disorders?
Eating disorders present themselves in many different forms, each associated with a variety of negative physical and mental health consequences. Three of the most common eating disorders include the following:
Anorexia Nervosa
Restriction of food or energy intake, intense fear of weight gain and a distorted perception of body size or shape. This can occur at any body weight.
Bulimia Nervosa
Cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, laxatives, fasting or excessive exercise.
Binge Eating Disorder
Recurrent episodes of binge eating without compensatory behaviors, accompanied by distress or loss of control.
Signs and symptoms
Eating disorders affect both the body and the mind. Warning signs may include the following:
Physical
- Ongoing fatigue or dizziness
- Feeling cold frequently
- Hair thinning or hair loss
- Digestive issues
- Missed periods or hormonal changes
Psychological
- Preoccupation with food, calories or body image
- Anxiety around meals or eating with others
- Guilt or shame after eating
- Brain fog, irritability or mood changes
Behavioral
- Skipping meals or avoiding entire food groups
- Compulsive or punitive exercise
- Eating in secret
- Needing strict routines to feel in control
You do not need to experience all of these signs for an eating disorder to be present. Disordered eating often doesn’t look extreme at first. It may look like discipline, motivation or wellness. But health is not defined by restriction, punishment or constant monitoring of food and body.
Who is affected?
Eating disorders affect people of all genders, races, sexual orientations, body sizes and backgrounds. There is no single “look” or personality type. Unfortunately, college students may be at higher risk than the general population due to academic stress, social comparison, athletic or performance pressure, loss of structured meals and exposure to diet culture.
Tips to prevent disordered eating and eating disorders
- Aim for consistency, not perfection, when it comes to health and fitness goals.
- Check your motivations around fitness routines and food choices. Make sure they support your mental health as well as your physical health.
- Question rigid rules around food and exercise.
- Diversify your community, both in real life and on social media.
- Talk about it — no matter your body size, gender or background. If you find yourself preoccupied with thoughts about food, exercise and/or your body, reach out to someone. Check in with a counselor, dietitian, doctor or other health professional. A friend or family member could be a good place to start as well.
Eating disorders do not discriminate, and help is out there. You don’t need to reach a breaking point to deserve support. Find more resources by emailing hphp_ohp@emich.edu.
Contributors to The WellNest Watch health column are Kegan Tulloch, Ebrima Jobarteh and Ruby Wyles, graduate assistants in the Office of Health Promotions, and Shafaat Ali Choyon and Nathaniel King, graduate hall directors in the Department of Residential Life. All five are master's degree candidates in the Public Health Program from the School of Public Health Promotion and Human Performance at Eastern Michigan University.
