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Eating Disorder Awareness Week February 24th 2025 to 2nd March 2025

Writer: East Kennet PCNEast Kennet PCN

Awareness weeks are used to bring attention to important issues, causes or events. They help people learn, reflect and contribute a greater understanding of these issues. Eating Disorders Awareness Week is an important date in the calendar to encourage people to spot the signs and reach out to a friend or loved one making an enormous difference to their life.


WHAT IS AN EATING DISORDER?

An eating disorder is a clinically diagnosed mental health condition characterised by severe disturbances in eating behaviours, thoughts and emotions related to food, weight, and body image. Eating disorders are not a choice and they can significantly impact a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, and daily life, in some cases they can be life-threatening. With treatment, people can recover.

Many people are aware of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Anorexia is the restriction of food intake, intense fear of weight gain and distorted body image whereas bulimia is a pattern of binge eating followed by purging (vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise). In 2013 two other eating disorders were officially recognised as a distinct eating disorder. Binge Eating Disorder (BED) which is the recurrent binge eating without purging, often leading to distress and guilt and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) which displays as limited food intake due to sensory issues, lack of interest, or fear of consequences like choking.

Today, in the UK, over 1.25m people live with an eating disorder, that’s 1 in 50 people. Anyone can develop this mental condition. Let’s look at the signs and symptoms of each of the four eating disorders mentioned above.


1) ANOREXIA NERVOSA

Signs and Symptoms

Health Consequences

Extremely restricted eating

Anaemia – low iron

Intense & excessive exercise

Bone thinning, fractures and breaks

Thinness & extreme thinness (emaciation)

Amenorrhea - absence of periods in females

Relentless pursuit of thinness

Muscle wasting, weakness

Unwillingness to maintain weight

Lethargy and feeling cold

Intense fear of gaining weight

Low blood pressure, fainting

Distorted body image

Poor bowel health, constipation

Anosognosia – denial of seriousness of low body weight

Damage to heart structure and function, slow breathing and pulse

Lying about food intake

Delayed puberty

Avoiding social events

Infertility

Wearing oversized clothes

Brain damage

Low self-esteem

Multiple organ failure

Obsession over food or diet

Death

Anorexia nervosa can be fatal. It has an extremely high death rate compared with other mental disorders. People with anorexia nervosa are at risk of dying from medical complications associated with starvation. Suicide is a leading cause of death for people diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.

 

2) BULIMIA NERVOSA

Signs and Symptoms

Health Consequences

Disappearing after meals

Low blood pressure

Self-induced vomiting

Chronically inflamed and sore throat

Skipping meals or eating small amounts at regular mealtimes

Worn tooth enamel, increasingly sensitive and decaying teeth

Cur or calloused knuckles from self-induced vomiting

Swollen salivary glands in neck and jaw area causing ‘Bulimia face’

Fasting

Acid reflux disorder, indigestion and heartburn

Hoarding food

Pancreatitis

Exercising excessively

Electrolyte imbalance

Misuse of laxative, falsely believing they will cause weight loss

Irregular periods, missed periods or fertility problems.

Lack of control - over eating during an episode

Gum disease and painful sores in corners of mouth

Withdraw from friends and social activities

Hair skin and nail problems

 

Constipation, diarrhoea and IBS

Approximately 1% of individuals with bulimia nervosa will struggle for their lifetime. Increasing awareness of symptoms, causes, and interventions of bulimia nervosa can result in a meaningful reduction of this prevalence.

 

3) BINGE-EATING DISORDER

Signs and Symptoms

Health Consequences

Eating unusually large amounts of food in short amount of time, for e.g. within 2hrs

Weight gain, leading to obesity and it’s adverse ill -health

Eating very fast during binge episodes

Digestive distress – bloating, nausea, constipation and acid reflux

Eating even when full or not at all hungry

Insomnia due to physical discomfort and psychological distress

Eating until uncomfortably full

Type 2 diabetes

Eating alone or in secret

High blood pressure

Feeling distressed, ashamed, or guilty about eating

High cholesterol

Dieting frequently, possibly without weight loss

Breathing issues, asthma, sleep apnoea

Sense of loss of control over what, when and how much to eat

Gallstones, gallbladder disease

Elevated levels of distress about weight, shape and eating

Hormonal dysregulation affecting appetite, hunger and fullness cues

The main difference between bulimia and binge eating disorder is that bulimia is characterized by purging after a binge, while people with binge eating disorder do not purge.

 

4) AVOIDANCE RESTRICTIVE FOOD INTAKE DISORDER (ARFID)

Signs and Symptoms

Health Consequences

Severe restriction of types or amounts of food eaten

Unhealthy weight loss

Lack of appetite or interest in food

Malnutrition

Dramatic weight loss

Changes to physical growth which are averse to good health

Upset stomach, abdominal pain, or other gastro issue with no known cause

Functional impairments associated with academic performance, work and relationships

Limited range of preferred foods that becomes even more limited

Developmental delays

Anxiety when presented with new or feared foods

Co-occurring anxiety disorders

Avoidance of certain foods due to texture, colour, smell or taste

Gastroparesis – delayed stomach emptying, causing excessive fullness, bloating and early satiety

Difficulty chewing foods

Gastro distress such as constipation and bloating

Consuming extremely small portions

 

Dependence on supplements or external feeding tubes

 

Frequent vomiting or gagging after exposure to certain foods

 

 

Unlike cases of anorexia and bulimia, ARFID does not typically involve poor body image, a drive to be thin, or a displeasure with external appearance. However, inadequate nutrition and caloric intake, especially among children, can seriously delay growth or prevent normal weight gain.

ARFID frequently occurs with other conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD).

 

Mental and Emotional Effects of Living with an Eating Disorder

Aside from the physical damage eating disorders having on your body, it's also linked to mental health problems. Some of the issues include:

     Anxiety

     Depression

     Low self-esteem

     Irritability

     Moodiness

     Self-harm (such as cutting)

     Obsessive-compulsive behaviours

     Guilt, shame, or embarrassment

     Self-hatred

     Social isolation

     Drug or alcohol abuse

     Suicidal thoughts or actions.

 

HOW TO HELP

 

It is best to address and tackle disordered eating behaviour as early as possible. It may seem challenging, but keep in mind you are doing the best thing for your loved one, and for yourself. There are no right or wrong ways to start this discussion as every situation and person is different, however there are some points to consider.

 

1. Be prepared

Before initiating a conversation, make sure you feel prepared. Understanding the signs and symptoms of eating disorders can help. Be aware that having this conversation may not go the way you hope, or it may open up other issues. Make sure you feel ready for these outcomes.

 

Choose a time when you are both feeling calm and are unlikely to have any distractions. Pick a safe and comfortable place, and try to avoid raising it before, during or immediately after a meal.

 

2. Communicate

Be calm, honest and open about your concerns for the person.

 

Before speaking to the person, it is important to think about what you would like to say to maximise the chances of a positive conversation. Use your knowledge of the person to decide the best way and time to approach them. You may find it helpful to role play your conversation with another person, or role play your approach in your own mind.

 

Assure the person you are talking about it because of your genuine care and concern, rather than coming across as making accusations or judgements.

 

Use ‘I’ statements rather than ‘You’ statements as the latter can lead to the person feeling attacked. For example, you could say, ‘I am concerned for you because I have noticed you’re not so happy at the moment’ rather than ‘you aren’t happy at the moment’.

 

3. Offer information

Your family member or friend may not be ready to take in what you are saying at the time, but they might be ready to look at a fact sheet, brochure or list of services in their own time. You can download a fact sheet from the Hub of Hope HERE.

 

4. Avoid using labelling or judgmental language

Focus on the person’s behavioural changes rather than their weight, food consumption or physical appearance. For example, you might decide not to use the words ‘eating disorder’ but to talk more generally about moods, behaviour, isolation and your concerns about them.

 

5. How they might respond

Be prepared for their emotional reaction, which may be one of anger, denial or relief:

 

Anger – the person may feel angry at their privacy has been threatened, that they have not been able to deal with the eating disorder on their own or that they are embarrassed or ashamed.

 

Denial – the person may deny there is a problem because they feel guilty or ashamed. The person may also feel protective about their eating disorder, especially if it serves a purpose for them, such as a coping mechanism or a sense of control in their life. Alternatively, the person may be confused and shocked because they have not yet identified themselves as having an eating disorder.

 

Relief – the person may feel relieved that someone has noticed and offered them support or help. If the person is truly endangering his or her life by their eating habits, family and friends may need to insist that professional help is sought.

 

6. Seek help

Encourage the person to seek professional help. The first port of call will usually be a GP, as they are best placed to provide a diagnosis. Reassure them that you are there to help and support them and they are not alone in their situation. Encourage them to seek support from the people in their life who love them, such as friends, family or parents. Encourage the person to think about the benefits of a life without an eating disorder.

 

Where to go for help on the web:

 

PODCASTS:

The Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast. Dr. Janean Anderson

Just Eat Normally: Eating Disorder Recovery. Rachel Evans

Food Psych Podcast with Christy Harrison


Written by Alice, Health & Wellbeing Coach.

 
 
 

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