What Is an Eating Disorder?
An eating disorder is a psychiatric illness
characterized by an extreme desire
to be thin and an intense fear of
weight gain. The fear of weight gain is
so great that the individual may feel
compelled to either limit food intake
to dangerously small amounts or to
use other compensatory methods (e.g.,
laxatives or vomiting) to control
weight. The onset of an eating disorder
typically occurs during preadolescence
or adolescence. There is a particular
risk for an eating disorder to develop
in middle level school, when students
experience dramatic physical changes,
are trying to establish their personal
identity, and are concerned—often
above all else—with being accepted by
their peers.
Eating disorders are currently classified
into two types: anorexia nervosa
and bulimia nervosa. Researchers are
also investigating another condition,
known as a binge-eating disorder,
which can be associated with obesity.
There also are a number of more
obscure eating disorders or conditions
that have not been classified in the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, such as anorexia athletica
(obsessive exercising) and nighteating
syndrome, for which there is little
or only emerging research.
Following are descriptions of a few of
the most common eating disorders