Understanding eating disorders
Who we help
We treat children, teens, and adults in all 50 states. Our providers are trained to treat all eating disorder diagnoses, as well as co-occurring conditions like anxiety, depression, and OCD.
The different types of eating disordersEating disorders can show up in many different ways, and there are five distinct eating disorder diagnoses. All types of eating disorders are equally serious and deserving of treatment.
AnorexiaAn eating disorder characterized by eating very little food and an intense fear of weight gain.
Bulimia nervosaAn eating disorder characterized by repeated episodes of eating large quantities of food (binge eating) followed by behaviors to “get rid of” the food (purging).
Binge Eating Disorder (BED)An eating disorder characterized by repeated episodes of eating large quantities of food while feeling a loss of control.
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)An eating disorder characterized by eating very little quantity or variety of food (or both), either due to sensory sensitivities, fear of something bad happening from eating, or lack of interest in food.
Other Specified
Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)An umbrella term for eating disorders that don’t meet the criteria for any of the other eating disorder diagnoses. OSFED includes subdiagnoses like atypical anorexia, night eating syndrome, and purging disorder.
Is it an eating disorder?
If you think that you or a loved one might have an eating disorder, our free eating disorder screener can help you determine whether or not you should be concerned.
- Weight changes, either up or down
- Falling off the growth curve (for growing kids and teens)
- Preoccupation with food, weight, or body size/shape
- Adopting a new, strict diet
- Sticking to a rigid, excessive exercise routine
- Avoiding eating with others
- Engaging in strange eating habits (cutting food very small, eating very slowly, etc)
- Mood changes
- Social withdrawal
Eye-opening facts
29M Americans will be affected by an eating disorder in their lifetime¹
~9%
of Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime¹
5.5M
are affected by an eating disorder every year*¹
77%
don’t receive treatment²
2nd
highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses3
10,200
deaths each year due to eating disorders¹
<6%
of people with eating disorders are diagnosed as “underweight"4
What causes eating disorders?The answer is complex and often unclear. But the good news is that you don’t need to know what caused an eating disorder to treat it effectively.
Eating disorders have biological roots
Genetics, neurobiology, and psychological factors play into these multifaceted mental illnesses.
Something needs to “turn on” the illness
If someone's brain is predisposed, an eating disorder can be triggered by environmental factors. There are many triggers, but a common one is dieting: when someone burns more calories than they eat, a switch flips in the brain, and the eating disorder takes control.
Eating disorders are coping mechanisms
Disordered behaviors serve a purpose for the person struggling. Restricting, bingeing, purging, and other behaviors help them regulate or control difficult emotions.
Environment matters
While eating disorders are brain disorders, our society and culture create an environment in which triggers are more abundant and recovery more difficult. Diet culture, social media, the pandemic, and more play a role.
Tips for talking to a loved one about an eating disorder
One conversation probably won’t be enough. Check in with them regularly, and continue to gently guide them toward help.
Ask if they’re comfortable talking and approach with curiousity.
Share specific observations that have you concerned
Emphasize that you are here to listen
Offer to research treatment programs or providers for them
Learn more in our open group
Our monthly discussion is for people supporting a loved one with an eating disorder—and led by Equip providers and FEAST mentors.
What to consider when seeking treatment
Which eating disorder specialists are in-network
with your health insurance?
Are there immediate health impacts of the eating disorder that need to be addressed? What’s the best strategy for treating them?
What kind of experience do the treatment professionals have?
How long have they specialized in eating disorders?
What role will friends, family, and other loved ones play in the treatment process?
Get support in your inboxSign up for Equip emails to receive helpful articles, videos, and other resources.
*Data based on 2018-2019 projections
- Deloitte Access Economics. (2020). The social and economic cost of eating disorders in the United States of America: A report for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/striped/report-economic-costs-of-eating-disorders
- Hart, L., Granillo, M., Jorm, A., & Paxton, S. (2011). Unmet need for treatment in the eating disorders. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(5).
- Chesney, Edward et al. “Risks of all-cause and suicide mortality in mental disorders: a meta-review.” World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) vol. 13,2 (2014): 153-60. doi:10.1002/wps.20128
- Flament, M. F., Henderson, K., Buchholz, A., Obeid, N., Nguyen, H. N. T., Birmingham, M., & Goldfield, G. (2015). Weight status and DSM-5 diagnoses of eating disorders in adolescents from the community. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 54(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2015.01.020