Eating disorders are fatal and costly mental disorders that affect physical health and psychosocial functioning.
Disturbing attitudes towards weight, body shape and eating play a valuable role in the emergence and maintenance of eating disorders.
Eating disorders have been increasing in the last 50 years and changes in the food environment are emerging.
Health professionals should routinely question the eating habits of the individual as a component of the overall health assessment.
Symptoms of eating disorders may differ between men and women. Because eating disorders have not been adequately investigated, there is uncertainty regarding their pathophysiology, treatment, and management.
Eating disorders are important psychiatric disorders characterized by unusual eating or weight control behaviors.
Uncomfortable attitudes towards scale, body condition, and eating play a valuable role in the emergence and maintenance of an eating disorder.
These concerns may differ according to gender. For example; While body image fuss in men may focus on muscularity, in women these fears may focus more on weight loss.
Obesity in itself is not framed as an eating disorder. All eating disorders significantly impair physical health.
anorexia nervosa; A fairly obvious major mental disorder that affects significant dietary restrictions or other weight loss behaviors (e.g., vomiting, intense physical activity), characterized by a strong fear of gaining weight or an uncomfortable body image, or both.
Concerns about weight and shape distinguish anorexia nervosa from avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder.
In addition, cognitive and emotional functioning is evidently impaired.
The medical complications of anorexia nervosa affect all organs and systems and are mostly caused by malnutrition, weight loss and gain behaviors.
Bulimia nervosa; may occur at normal or high weight (if the weight is below the threshold for bulimia nervosa, the subtype of anorexia nervosa is diagnosed). Bulimia nervosa is characterized by repetitive binge eating (ie, eating in large quantities with loss of control) and compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain.
The most common compensatory behavior is self-induced vomiting, but inappropriate medication, fasting, or overtraining can also be used. These behaviors can be brought about by negative self-evaluation about burden, body form, or appearance.
binge eating disorder; It is characterized by irritating, recurrent binge eating episodes, with less compensatory behaviors than in bulimia nervosa. Both bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder often accompany or lead to obesity.
avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder; It is now recognized as a non-age-related disorder. The main symptoms occur with one or more of the following: These are food avoidance or food restriction. Consequently; weight loss or slow growth, nutritional deficiencies, dependence on tube feeding or nutritional supplements for adequate intake, and psychosocial deterioration. Symptoms may arise from a general lack of interest in food and eating, food selectivity based on sensory sensitivity, and fear of the negative consequences of eating related to odious experiences such as choking or vomiting.
Pica Syndrome; It involves eating non-nutritive or non-nutritive items for a period of one month or longer. The most important triggers are the taste of the matter, the agony, curiosity or spiritual tension.
Rumination disorder; Nausea, involuntary retching, or vomiting after a meal without disgust.
Psychiatric comorbidities cause eating disorders (>70%). Among the most common psychiatric comorbidities are mood and anxiety disorders, neurodevelopmental disorder, alcohol and substance use disorders, and personality disorders.
People with diabetes have a high prevalence of eating disorders.
Bidirectional relationships have been observed between eating disorders and autoimmune disorders such as celiac and Crohn’s disease.
