There are many different eating disorders, some are more common than others. Some uncommon ones include purging disorder and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED). An example of an OSFED is orthorexia, where someone is obsessed with having a healthy lifestyle. Here is a list of common eating disorders that are found in all ages from children to adults.
*Warning some descriptions may make you lose your appetite*
- Anorexia Nervosa
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Commonly known as anorexia, it could be life-threatening. There are three factors that include an abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of weight or shape. It makes them feel the need to limit calories from using laxatives to vomiting after eating. Sometimes it gets to the point of self-starvation and possibly death.
- Bulimia Nervosa
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Also known as Bulimia, it could be life threatening. Someone with it binge and/or purges what they are eating. It comes from having a lack of control over their body and restricting their bodies from eating. The process is to eat a large amount in a short time and then try getting it out, but not doing it in a healthy way. Bulimia is caused by guilt, intense fear of weight gain from eating too much, and it forces them to do anything to get rid of the calories. This affects someone mentally by how a person perceives themself.
- Binge-Eating Disorder
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This disorder is overeating regularly and continuing to do so, even if they are not hungry. After overeating, they feel disgusted with themselves and guilty or ashamed for eating so much. In contrast to anorexia and bulimia, they start hiding while they are eating.
- Rumination Disorder
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This disorder is regurgitating food after eating, but doing it regularly and on a constant basis. It involves food coming back up into the mouth without nausea or gagging, then some rechew the food and swallow or spit it out. The effects are malnutrition and eating less significantly.
- Avoidant/restrictive Food Intake Disorder
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This disorder is not meeting the minimum daily nutrition requirements due to no interest in eating. Avoiding food with certain sensory characteristics and the consequences of eating. Some examples of sensory characteristics include texture and smell. Leading them into a significant weight loss or being unable to gain weight and nutritional deficiencies.
- Pica
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This disorder involves eating things that are not considered food. Some examples include ice, paper, wool, soap, and laundry detergent. They have increased risks and some include gut injuries and nutritional deficiencies.
To learn more about these disorders, check out the links below:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eating-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20353603
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-eating-disorders#other