Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified
Eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) are at least as common as AN and BN, but prevalence rates are unknown because there is no simple definition of EDNOS. This group represents subacute cases of AN or BN—clients who may meet all the criteria for AN except that they have not missed three consecutive menstrual periods, or clients of normal weight who purge without bingeing. Binge eating disorder, in which bingeing occurs without purging, is also classified as an EDNOS. Binge eating disorder differs from BN in that binge eating is not accompanied by purging behaviors to control weight. People with binge eating disorder are often obese and, unlike people with BN, do not restrict their eating between binge episodes and overeat without feeling a loss of control (Nutrition Care Manual, 2012). Binge eating episodes are
associated with three or more of the following: eating more quickly than normal; eating until uncomfortably full; eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry; eating alone due to embarrassment over how much is eaten; and feeling disgusted, depressed, or guilty about overeating (Nutrition Care Manual, 2012). Bingeing must occur at least twice