Many of us have heard of the term “eating disorder” which is defined as a "serious mental and physical illnesses that involves complex and damaging relationships with food, eating, exercise, and body image.” 

But how often have you heard the term disordered eating? According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, disordered eating “is used to describe a range of irregular eating behaviors that may or may not warrant a diagnosis of a specific eating disorder.”

Disordered eating is hard to detect, but may include restrictive eating, compulsive eating or irregular eating patterns. Eerily similar to certain diets, right? You may be surprised how prevalent disordered eating actually is.

Other signs and symptoms that may be present in a person engaging in disordered eating include:

• Frequent dieting. 

• Chronic weight fluctuations.

• Avoiding a type of food or food group. 

• Skipping meals. 

• Using diet pills.

• Feelings of guilt or shame around food.

• Using exercise to make up for “being bad” in terms of what they ate.

Disordered eating can be very harmful and in most circumstances the person may not fully realize the impact it has on their mental and physical health. Disordered eating doesn’t always lead to a full eating disorder, but it is one of the most common risk factors in developing an eating disorder. 

The reason that disordered eating is so common is because of how our culture places weight loss on a pedestal. People will try various “fad” diets that are ultra restrictive and unrealistic, leaving the person to feel like a failure when they ultimately give into their cravings. Why do they give into their cravings, you ask? Because diets are set up to fail us and life happens, we’re human! There are many risks involved in extreme dieting such as fatigue, decreased caloric intake, decreased nutrient intake, anxiety, depression, headaches, etc. In addition, detrimental consequences of disordered eating include a greater risk of eating disorders, bone loss, electrolyte and fluid imbalances, increased anxiety and depression, and GI disturbances. 

So what is the difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder?

Essentially, an eating disorder is a severe form of disordered eating. To be diagnosed with an eating disorder you must meet certain criteria. A few examples of eating disorders include: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder (BED), and Purging Disorder.

I don’t provide all of this information to scare you or make you feel bad for dieting, but I do provide this to let you know that disordered eating is way more common than we know. I suffered from disordered eating and I am thankful that I was able to see how disordered eating affected me and made changes to break free and eat for pleasure. There is hope for you as well!

If you or someone you know is engaging in dieting or disordered eating behaviors I encourage you to seek help. Working in conjunction with a Registered Dietitian and an Eating Disorder Therapist is a great place to start. Here is a link to help you find a therapist in your area.

References:

https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/disordered-eating-and-dieting/

https://www.eatright.org/health/diseases-and-conditions/eating-disorders/what-is-disordered-eating

https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/eating-disorder