What are Eating Disorders?

23 Feb

Eating disorders are a mental health condition effecting eating behaviour, distress associated with food and body and emotions that impair social functioning. There are different types of eating disorders that include; anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, other specified feeding and eating disorder, pica and rumination disorder.

Approximately 1.1 million Australians were estimated to be living with an eating disorder in 2024 and with 10% experiencing one in their lifetime. That means 1 in 10 Australians will have an eating disorder over their life. Although eating disorders are more common among girls and women, they affect people of all genders, backgrounds and body size.

Warning Signs of an Eating Disorder

Change in diet

· Eating the same foods on repeat

· Cutting out food groups eg, carbohydrates

· Eating large amounts of food until you feel sick

· Avoiding medium-high calorie foods

· Needing to measure foods

· Avoiding foods you use to enjoy

· Only eating foods you made

Change in behaviour

· Avoiding eating out

· Anxiety around food

· Using the bathroom after eating to purge

· Wearing loose or baggy clothing

· Body checking eg, weighing self, mirror checking, taking photos

· Avoiding family and friends

Change in exercise

· Feeling compelled to exercise

· Having to exercise to burn off calories

· Feel guilty if unable to exercise

· Limited joy in exercise

Change in physical and psychological symptoms

· Increase anxiety and depression

· Increase irritability and mood swings

· Drop in libido

· Fainting and dizziness

· Loss of period or irregular periods (women)

· Weight loss or gain

· Feeling cold often or sensitive to temperature

· Gut issues eg, constipated, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain

· Poor sleep and dreaming about food

While experiencing just one of these symptoms is not indicative of an eating disorder, having multiple would be cause for checking in with your GP.

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where concerns about body shape and a strong fear of weight gain, lead to eating a restricted diet and, often, exercising excessively. Over time, this can result in significant weight loss and a body weight that’s too low for a person’s age and height (BMI under 18.5).

Many people with anorexia don’t always appear unwell on the outside, and it’s common for symptoms to be minimised or hidden. Someone might genuinely want to gain weight or say they’re trying to, but their actions, eating very small portions, sticking to “safe” low-energy foods, or over-exercising, don’t match that intention. This isn’t because they’re being dishonest, but because the eating disorder has a strong hold. Anorexia nervosa is one of the most serious mental health conditions and can be life-threatening if not treated.

Types of anorexia nervosa

There are two main patterns people tend to experience:

Restricting type – weight loss mainly happens through limiting food intake and/or excessive exercise.
Binge-eating/purging type – alongside restriction, a person may also experience episodes of binge eating and/or purging behaviours such as vomiting or using laxatives.

How anorexia can affect the body and mind

Because the body isn’t getting enough nourishment, anorexia can impact almost every system. Some common signs and symptoms include:

Loss of periods or changes to menstrual cycles
Feeling dizzy, light-headed, or faint
Feeling cold all the time
Hair thinning, brittle nails, and dry skin
Muscle weakness and loss of strength
Bloating, constipation, reflux, or feeling overly full after eating
Bone weakness or fractures, especially with compulsive exercise
Low mood, anxiety, irritability, brain fog, and constant fatigue
Changes to heart health, which can be dangerous
Ongoing nausea or abdominal discomfort

Purging behaviours are particularly risky. They can disrupt the body’s electrolyte balance, which can affect heart rhythm and lead to serious complications, including tears to the throat or stomach.

What treatment looks like

Recovery from anorexia nervosa focuses on rebuilding a healthy relationship with food, supporting weight restoration, and reducing behaviours that keep the disorder going. Treatment also involves caring for mental health, physical health, and any other conditions that might be present.

Nutrition support is a key part of recovery. This usually means working towards regular meals and snacks, gradually increasing variety, and learning to tolerate foods that may feel challenging or anxiety-provoking. For younger people, treatment is often most effective when parents or carers are supported to help with meals and nourishment.

Body image concerns are also addressed in recovery, but it’s important to know that changes in how someone feels about their body often come later, after eating patterns and physical health begin to stabilise.

In more severe cases, or when outpatient support isn’t enough, a person may need care in a hospital or residential program. These programs can be very effective in restoring nutrition and eating patterns. Ongoing support after discharge is important, as the first year of recovery can be a vulnerable time.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that’s often driven by body image concerns and a challenging relationship with food. People with bulimia commonly move between periods of strict eating (sticking to low-calorie or “safe” foods) and episodes of binge eating on foods they feel are “forbidden.” Thoughts about food, weight, and body shape can take up a huge amount of mental space and strongly influence how someone feels about themselves.

What binge eating can look like

A binge involves eating a large amount of food in a short period of time, alongside a feeling of being out of control, like it’s hard or impossible to stop. Binges often happen in secret and are usually followed by intense feelings of shame, guilt, or embarrassment. Food may be eaten very quickly and well past physical fullness, sometimes leading to nausea or significant discomfort.

For someone with bulimia, binge eating tends to happen at least once a week and is usually followed by behaviours aimed at trying to “undo” the binge.

Compensatory behaviours

After a binge, a person may use different strategies to try to prevent weight gain. These can include:

Skipping meals or fasting
Vomiting (purging)
Compulsive or excessive exercise
Misusing medications, laxatives, diuretics, or appetite-suppressing drugs

These behaviours can be very dangerous. Repeated purging can disrupt the body’s fluid and electrolyte balance, placing strain on the heart and other organs, and can lead to serious, sometimes life-threatening complications.

Possible signs of purging

Because bulimia is often hidden, it can be hard to spot. Some signs that may raise concern include:

Regularly going to the bathroom straight after meals
Large amounts of food disappearing or lots of empty food packaging
Ongoing sore throat or hoarse voice
Swelling around the jaw or cheeks
Tooth damage or increased dental issues
Frequent heartburn or reflux
Laxative or diet pill use
Ongoing or unexplained diarrhoea
Using “water pills” to change weight
Feeling dizzy or faint due to dehydration
Cuts or calluses on the knuckles from vomiting

People with bulimia can be underweight, within a “normal” weight range, or in a larger body. Because of this and because behaviours are often done in secret, friends, family, or colleagues may have no idea that someone is struggling.

What recovery and treatment involve

Recovery from bulimia nervosa focuses on helping someone return to regular, balanced eating and reducing binge-purge cycles. Therapy can also help untangle the thoughts, emotions, and beliefs that keep the disorder going, especially around food, weight, and self-worth.

Psychological support is the mainstay of treatment, and for some people, medication can help reduce urges to binge or purge. For adolescents and young adults, involving parents or carers can be incredibly helpful. This support can guide families on how to create a more stable, nourishing eating routine and reduce the secrecy and shame that often surround bulimia.

With the right support, recovery is possible, even if bulimia has been part of someone’s life for a long time.

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder (BED) involves episodes of binge eating, similar to bulimia nervosa, but without behaviours aimed at trying to “undo” the eating. This means there’s no vomiting, fasting, laxative use, or compulsive exercise afterwards.

A binge usually involves eating a large amount of food in a short period of time, alongside a strong feeling of being out of control, like it’s hard to stop or slow down. For a diagnosis, these binges tend to happen at least once a week over several months and are linked with a few common experiences, such as:

Eating much faster than usual
Eating past fullness to the point of discomfort
Eating large amounts of food even when not physically hungry
Eating alone because of embarrassment or shame
Feeling upset, guilty, or low in mood afterwards

While body image concerns aren’t required for a diagnosis, many people with binge eating disorder still spend a lot of time worrying about their weight, shape, or appearance. These thoughts can add to feelings of shame and make the binge–restrict cycle harder to break.

How binge eating disorder can affect health

Binge eating disorder can impact both physical and mental wellbeing over time. Some people may experience changes in weight or health markers, which can increase the risk of conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Just as importantly, BED often takes a toll emotionally, affecting confidence, mood, and quality of life.

What treatment and recovery look like

Treatment for binge eating disorder focuses on rebuilding trust with food and helping the body get regular, reliable nourishment. Learning skills to cope with emotions, stress, and urges without turning to binge eating is a key part of recovery.

Weight loss is not the goal of treatment. In fact, dieting or calorie restriction often makes binge eating worse by increasing hunger and feelings of deprivation. Most people benefit from outpatient support, which allows recovery to happen alongside everyday life.

Therapy is the most effective treatment for binge eating disorder and can be offered one-on-one or in groups. Support focuses on normalising eating patterns, reducing binge urges, and addressing the emotional drivers behind binge eating. For some people, medication may also play a helpful role as part of a broader treatment plan.

With the right support, recovery from binge eating disorder is possible and it doesn’t require willpower, restriction, or “better control,” but care, consistency, and compassion.

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) involves ongoing, significant food avoidance or very selective eating that makes it hard for someone to get the nourishment their body needs. This isn’t about weight, body shape, or dieting, it’s about how food feels, tastes, smells, or how safe it feels to eat.

People with ARFID tend to avoid food for one (or more) of the following reasons:

Common patterns in ARFID

Low interest in eating
Some people have a very low appetite or simply don’t feel motivated by food. Eating can feel like a chore rather than something enjoyable.
Sensory-based avoidance
Certain textures, smells, colours, temperatures, or appearances of food can feel overwhelming or unbearable, leading to a very limited range of “safe” foods.
Fear of negative consequences
Eating may feel unsafe due to fear of choking, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, constipation, or allergic reactions. Sometimes this fear starts after a specific experience, such as choking or food poisoning.

When food avoidance becomes a problem

ARFID is diagnosed when food avoidance starts to significantly affect health or daily life. This can look like:

Weight loss, or not growing as expected in children
Missing key nutrients
Relying on supplements or tube feeding to meet nutrition needs
Difficulty eating with others or taking part in social situations involving food

The physical and emotional effects of ARFID can be just as serious as those seen in other eating disorders, such as anorexia. A key difference, however, is that people with ARFID do not have concerns about body weight or shape driving their eating.

ARFID is also commonly seen alongside neurodivergence, including autism. While many autistic people have sensory sensitivities or strong food preferences, not all selective eating meets the threshold for ARFID. It becomes ARFID when those eating patterns significantly impact nutrition, health, or everyday life.

What ARFID is not

ARFID does not include:

Limited food choices due to lack of access to food
Dieting or attempts to lose weight
Cultural or religious food practices
Typical developmental phases, such as toddlers being picky with food

Who ARFID can affect

Food avoidance often begins in infancy or childhood, but ARFID can develop at any age and continue into adulthood. It can place a lot of stress on individuals and families, particularly around mealtimes, social events, or eating away from home. Anxiety is commonly present alongside ARFID, especially panic-related fears around eating.

What treatment and support can look like

Support for ARFID is highly individual and tailored to the reason behind the food avoidance. It often involves a team approach, which may include a dietitian, psychologist, and other health professionals.

Treatment focuses on making eating feel safer and less distressing. This can include:

Gently reducing fear around food by pairing eating with positive, low-pressure experiences
Food chaining, where new foods are introduced slowly by making small, manageable changes from already-safe foods
Supporting nutrition in ways that respect sensory needs and nervous system safety

With the right, compassionate support, people with ARFID can expand their food range, improve nutrition, and feel more confident around eating, without force, shame, or pressure.

Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED)

Some eating difficulties don’t fit neatly into one specific diagnosis, but that doesn’t make them any less real or serious. OSFED includes eating disorders or patterns of eating that cause distress and interfere with daily life, such as family relationships, social situations, work, or study, even if they don’t meet the exact criteria for other eating disorder labels.

Sometimes this happens because certain behaviours occur less often than required for a formal diagnosis (for example, binge eating that happens less frequently). In other cases, a person may not meet a specific weight-based cut-off, even though their relationship with food and their body is clearly being affected.

Atypical anorexia nervosa

One example within this category is atypical anorexia nervosa. People with atypical anorexia may have lost a significant amount of weight and experience the same intense fear of weight gain, body image distress, and restrictive eating behaviours seen in anorexia nervosa. The key difference is that their body weight may still sit within or above a “normal” range, often because they started at a higher weight.

This does not mean the condition is less serious.

The speed and extent of weight loss, not just a number on the scale, plays a major role in health risk. People with atypical anorexia can experience serious medical complications, especially if weight loss happens quickly or through extreme behaviours, even if they don’t “look underweight.”

Why this matters

Weight-based assumptions can delay diagnosis, support, and care. Eating disorders exist across all body sizes, and someone does not need to be underweight to be unwell or deserving of help.

If eating behaviours, food rules, or body image concerns are impacting physical health, mental wellbeing, or day-to-day functioning, support is both appropriate and important, regardless of diagnosis or body size.

If any of this resonates with you, you don’t need to wait until things get “worse” to reach out. Support is not reserved for people who fit a certain label, body size, or diagnostic box.

The Nourish Club offers compassionate, weight-neutral, neuro-affirming support for people struggling with eating, food rules, and body image. You deserve care that takes your experience seriously.

If you’re ready to feel more supported around food, you’re welcome to get in touch or book an appointment.

Book Here

Lauryn Moss