Eating disorders - Types and their complications

▴ Image courtesy: Socialdhara
Let’s learn about eating disorders and their different types. What factors can cause this disorder?

Eating disorders are problems associated with eating behavior and feelings about foods. An eating disorder can seriously affect a person’s physical and mental health.

Different types of eating disorders

Anorexia – People with anorexia eat too little. They have an intense fear of weight gain or looking fat. These people are very strict about what they eat and how many calories they contain. 

This condition may lead to undernutrition or low body weight. Low BP, irregular heartbeat, tiredness, weak bones, weakness, etc are some related health issues.

Bulimia – These people overeat anything and everything. Their portion size is very much high as compared to normal people and often they try to hide their eating and purging from others.

People with bulimia experience low BP, tiredness, weakness, and blood in vomit or stools. In addition to these, they also go through various emotional problems like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, etc.

Binge eating – These people just go on eating even when they are full, not hungry. They feel upset or guilty after binge eating. Many people with binge eating disorders eat faster than normal. They may eat alone so others don't see how much they are eating.

This may lead to weight-related health problems like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and fatty liver disease. 

ARFID – People with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. These people are not interested in food or avoiding food. People with ARFID don't eat because they are turned off by the smell, taste, texture, or color of food. They may be afraid that they will choke or vomit. 

ARFID may lead to health problems that stem from poor nutrition. Inadequate vitamins, minerals, and nutrition lead to poor growth and development.

What causes an eating disorder?

These factors can increase a person’s chance of having an eating disorder.

  • Poor body image
  • Too much focus on weight or looks
  • Dieting at a young age
  • Playing sports that focus on weight (gymnastics, ballet, ice skating, and wrestling)
  • Having a family member with an eating disorder
  • Mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, or OCD

The patients can consult a doctor if they are experiencing any of these. Treatment may take time and effort. But you will get great help from experts. 

Tags : #Health #Eatingdisorder #Anorexia #bulimia #Bingeeating #ARFID #Diabetes #Unhealthyeating #Wronglifestyle #Obesity #Factorsresponsibleforeatingdisorder #Medicircle #Smitakumar

About the Author


Renu Gupta

With a background in Pharmacy which is the clinical health science that links medical science with chemistry, I had the desire to mix creativity to these fields. Medicircle provides me an avenue to apply my training in science and interest in creativity together.

View Profile

Related Stories

Loading Please wait...

-Advertisements-




Trending Now

Puducherry Government's Noble Initiative: Empowering Underprivileged Students in Medical EducationSeptember 23, 2023
Title: From Dialysis to Freedom: Aditi's Inspiring kidney Transplant StorySeptember 23, 2023
Narayana Health Achieves Guinness World Record with 3,797 ECGs Conducted in a DaySeptember 23, 2023
Beyond Spoken Words, The Beauty of Sign Language: Celebrating the International Day of Sign LanguageSeptember 23, 2023
Dengue: Symptoms, Warnings & NS1 antigen TestSeptember 23, 2023
EQUIPPP welcomes Mr. Guru R. Sowle as an AdvisorSeptember 23, 2023
Exploring Patient Safety : Empowering patients , Ensuring safetySeptember 22, 2023
Manipal Hospitals Expands Its Footprint: A Game-Changer for Healthcare in Eastern IndiaSeptember 22, 2023
Empowering Palliative Care: Workshop Highlights from Pain Awareness Month 2023September 22, 2023
Studying Alzheimer's 7 Stages on World Alzheimer's DaySeptember 21, 2023
AIIMS Takes the Lead in Transforming Indian Healthcare with 'Ayushman Bhav'September 21, 2023
New study finds stressful jobs may double heart disease risk in womenSeptember 21, 2023
Global Women’s Health Innovation Conference 2023September 21, 2023
Our favourite cheese might just be a delicious way to boost our brainpower: Japanese Study Reveals Surprising FindingsSeptember 20, 2023
Our favourite cheese might just be a delicious way to boost our brainpower: Japanese Study Reveals Surprising FindingsSeptember 20, 2023
September 20, 2023
From Code to Care: How IT Firms Are Shaping India's HealthcareSeptember 20, 2023
Music and Sleep: Finding the Right Tune for Restful NightsSeptember 20, 2023
Addressing Child Mortality in Nandurbar: A Critical LookSeptember 20, 2023
Assam's Battle Against Toxic Magnesium Carbonate in Pan Masala BrandsSeptember 20, 2023