common symptoms of eating disorders

Source: NIH MedlinePlus magazine, Spring 2008 

Anorexia Nervosa-symptoms and warning signs

• emaciation (extremely thin from lack of nutrition)
• relentless pursuit of thinness; unwilling to maintain a normal or healthy weight
• distorted body image; intense fear of gaining weight
• lack of menstruation among girls and woman
• repeatedly weighing him/herself
• portioning food carefully, eating only small amounts of only certain foods
• excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas

Other symptoms that may develop over time:

• thinning bones
• brittle hair and nails
• dry, yellowish skin
• growth of fine hair over the body
• mild anemia and muscle weakness and loss
• sever constipation
• low blood pressure, slowed breathing and pulse
• feeling cold all the time
• lethargy

Bulimia Nervosa-symptoms and warning signs

• frequently eating large amonts of food (binge-eating)
• feeling a lack of control over the eating
• compensating for binge-eating with self-iduced vomiting, misuse of laxatives and diuretics, fasting and excessive exercise
• binging and purging in secret; feelings of shame and disgust
• intensely unhappy with body size and shape despite normal height and weight

Other symptoms include:

• chronically inflamed and sore throat
• swollen glands in neck and below jaw
• worn tooth enamel from exposure to stomach acids
• gastroesophageal reflux disorder
• intestinal distress from laxative abuse
• kidney problmes from diuretic abuse
• sever dehydration from purging

Binge Eating Disorder-symptoms and warning signs

• frequently eating large amounts of food (binge-eating)
• feeling unable to control the eating behavior
• feelings of guilt, shame, and/or distress about the behavior, which can lead to more binge-eating

Posted July 2008