Eating Disorder

An eating disorder is marked by extremes. It is present when a person experiences severe disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme reduction of food intake or extreme overeating, or feelings of extreme distress or concern about body weight or shape.

What is an Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders are a type of serious mental health condition characterized by severe disturbances in eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions.

What Causes Eating Disorders?

Eating Disorder Signs

Eating Disorders Diagnosis

Eating Disorder Treatments

Eating Disorder Symptoms

Night Eating Disorder / Syndrome

Binge-Eating Disorder Causes

Binge-Eating Disorder Treatment

Binge-Eating Disorder Signs and Symptoms

What Causes Binge Eating Disorder?

Health Risks of Binge Eating Disorder

See more featured articles »

What is Pica Eating Disorder?

Diabulimia Eating Disorder

Emotional Overeating

What is Rumination Disorder / Syndrome?

What is Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder?

Eating Disorders in Children

Early Attachment and Anorexia

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

What Does a Diagnosis of Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) Mean?

Eating Disorders and Social Media

Latest Eating Disorder News and Research

Study reveals emotional eating risks in middle-aged women with PCOS

Emotional eating and uncontrolled eating are more common in middle-aged women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

17 Oct 2024

Electrolyte abnormalities in eating disorders associated with higher risk of death from any cause

A new study published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that 32% of individuals with an eating disorder had abnormal electrolyte levels, which were associated with a higher risk of death from any cause.

18 Sep 2024

Researchers propose ketogenic diet as a novel treatment for anorexia nervosa

Research identifies a neurobiological model supporting a ketogenic diet as a therapeutic approach for anorexia nervosa, addressing both metabolic and psychological factors.

9 Sep 2024

Calorie information on menus: Worsening eating disorders?

Research paper examines the impact of menu calorie labeling on individuals with eating disorders, revealing both potential benefits and significant risks, and calls for further study to better understand these effects.

29 Aug 2024

Primary care providers key to addressing emotional eating

Primary care providers are well positioned to address emotional eating because of their long-term relationships with patients, noted Jana DeSimone Wozniak, PhD and Hsiang Huang, MD, MPH, of Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

28 Aug 2024

Increased mental health risks in patients with brain aneurysms

Among people who had aneurysms (weakened areas in brain blood vessels), the risk of developing a mental health condition was higher than among peers without an aneurysm.

26 Aug 2024

Researchers urge inclusion of marginalized groups to bridge bulimia nervosa treatment gaps

Researchers identified significant disparities in bulimia nervosa treatment, urging more inclusive research to address gaps in care for marginalized populations.

16 Aug 2024

Polycystic ovary syndrome linked to greater risk of disordered eating in women

Women with the common reproductive and metabolic condition polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) face a greater risk of developing bulimia, binge eating disorder and disordered eating, according to new research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

8 Aug 2024

Enhancing family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa: The role of intensive parental coaching

A study opens in new tab/window in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP)opens in new tab/window, published by Elsevier, investigated adaptive treatment for Anorexia Nervosa (AN), a serious psychiatric disorder with high morbidity and mortality.

15 Jul 2024

Researchers debunk four common myths about the safety of intermittent fasting

In a new article, researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago debunk four common myths about the safety of intermittent fasting.

24 Jun 2024

Expert suggests a more integrated approach to treating people with eating disorders

Health services should teach patients with eating disorders psychosocial skills to help more people recover and avoid relapse, according to an expert.

10 Jun 2024

Researchers investigate the feasibility of new home-administered treatment for binge eating disorder

Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London have investigated the feasibility of a new home-administered treatment for binge eating disorder.

6 Jun 2024

Higher BMI linked to increased risk of binge-eating disorder in adolescents

A recent study in Appetite found that higher BMI is associated with an increased risk of progressing from binge-eating behavior to binge-eating disorder among U.S. adolescents. The findings emphasize the importance of early screening and intervention.

28 May 2024

Binge-eating disorder persists longer than previously thought, study shows

Binge-eating disorder is the most prevalent eating disorder in the United States, but previous studies have presented conflicting views of the disorder's duration and the likelihood of relapse.

28 May 2024

Web-based self-help program proves effective in treating binge eating disorder

Study shows that web-based cognitive behavioral self-help interventions effectively reduce binge eating episodes and improve overall well-being in individuals with binge eating disorder (BED).

19 May 2024

Meta-analysis unveils connection between insulin-dependent diabetes and eating disorders

One in four patients with insulin-dependent diabetes aged 16 years and older also exhibit some kind of eating disorder symptoms, according to a recent meta-analysis conducted at the University of Eastern Finland.

8 May 2024

New review explores the key gender differences in sleep, circadian rhythms and metabolism

A new review of research evidence has explored the key differences in how women and men sleep, variations in their body clocks, and how this affects their metabolism.

12 Apr 2024

New hope for binge eating and bulimia: GLP-1 drugs could be the key

GLP-1 receptor agonists show promise in reducing binge eating behaviors in disorders like bulimia nervosa, offering a new avenue for treatment with minimal side effects.

4 Mar 2024

Early childhood appetite traits linked to adolescent eating disorders, study finds

The longitudinal relationships between appetitive qualities in early childhood and eating problem symptoms in adolescence.

23 Feb 2024

Overcoming barriers to eating disorder treatment for low-income patients

Individuals with eating disorders who have low income are frequently misdiagnosed and lack adequate access to appropriate therapy, according to researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

20 Feb 2024