Western Michigan University Athletics

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Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders

 

What is Disordered Eating?
Disordered eating is defined as ‘a wide range of irregular eating behaviors that do not warrant a diagnosis of a specific eating disorder.

 

What are the symptoms of Disordered Eating?
Signs and symptoms of disordered eating may include, but are not limited to:

• Chronic yo-yo dieting (repeated loss and regain of body weight)
• Frequent weight fluctuations
• Extremely rigid and unhealthy food and exercise regime
• Feelings of guilt and shame when unable to maintain food and exercise habits
• Pre-occupation with food, body and exercise that causes distress and has a negative impact on quality of life
• Compulsive or emotionally-driven eating
• Use of compensatory measures, such as exercise, food restriction, fasting and even purging or laxative use to "make up for" food consumed

What can Disordered Eating do to me?
Many people who suffer with disordered eating patterns either minimize or do not fully realize the impact it has on their mental and physical health. This lack of understanding may unnecessarily exacerbate the harm of disordered eating. Detrimental consequences can include a greater risk of obesity and eating disorders, bone loss, gastrointestinal disturbances, electrolyte and fluid imbalances, low heart rate and blood pressure, increased anxiety and depression, and social isolation.
 
Disordered eating is a serious health concern that may be difficult to detect since a person with disordered eating patterns may not display all of the classic symptoms typically identified with eating disorders. It's important to remember that even a person exhibiting disordered eating habits and behaviors may also be experiencing significant physical, emotional and mental stress.


How do I get treated?
First, talk to your athletic trainer, doctor, or health care professional about your symptoms.

Registered dietitian nutritionists are vital to the detection and treatment of disordered eating. Often, patients referred to dietitians for nutrition counseling are unaware that their eating patterns are problematic or harmful. If possible, working with a dietitian who has a background in counseling eating disorders is an important step in treating disordered eating and preventing it from progressing to an eating disorder.


What is Eating Disorder?
Eating disturbances may include inadequate or excessive food intake which can ultimately damage an individual’s well-being.
 
Eating Disorders are complex disorders, influenced by many factors. The exact cause of eating disorders is not known but it is believed that a combination of biological, psychological, and/or environmental abnormalities contribute to the development of these illnesses.
 
The most common forms of eating disorders include Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder and affect both females and males.
 

What are the symptoms of Eating Disorders?
Emotional and behavioral

• In general, behaviors and attitudes that indicate that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns
• Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, carbohydrates, fat grams, and dieting
• Refusal to eat certain foods, progressing to restrictions against whole categories of food (e.g., no carbohydrates, etc.)
• Appears uncomfortable eating around others
• Food rituals (e.g. eats only a particular food or food group [e.g. condiments], excessive chewing, doesn’t allow foods to touch)
• Skipping meals or taking small portions of food at regular meals
• Any new practices with food or fad diets, including cutting out entire food groups (no sugar, no carbs, no dairy, vegetarianism/veganism)
• Withdrawal from usual friends and activities
• Frequent dieting
• Extreme concern with body size and shape 
• Frequent checking in the mirror for perceived flaws in appearance
• Extreme mood swings

 
Physical

• Noticeable fluctuations in weight, both up and down
• Stomach cramps, other non-specific gastrointestinal complaints (constipation, acid reflux, etc.)
• Menstrual irregularities — missing periods or only having a period while on hormonal contraceptives (this is not considered a “true” period)
• Difficulties concentrating
• Abnormal laboratory findings (anemia, low thyroid and hormone levels, low potassium, low white and red blood cell counts)
• Dizziness, especially upon standing
• Fainting/syncope
• Feeling cold all the time
• Sleep problems
• Cuts and calluses across the top of finger joints (a result of inducing vomiting)
• Dental problems, such as enamel erosion, cavities, and tooth sensitivity
• Dry skin and hair, and brittle nails
• Swelling around area of salivary glands
• Fine hair on body (lanugo)
• Cavities, or discoloration of teeth, from vomiting
• Muscle weakness
• Yellow skin (in context of eating large amounts of carrots)
• Cold, mottled hands and feet or swelling of feet
• Poor wound healing
• Impaired immune functioning

Anorexia Nervosa

• Dramatic weight loss
• Dresses in layers to hide weight loss or stay warm
• Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat grams, and dieting. Makes frequent comments about feeling “fat.’
• Resists or is unable to maintain a body weight appropriate for their age, height, and build
• Maintains an excessive, rigid exercise regime – despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury

Bulimia Nervosa

• Evidence of binge eating, including disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time or lots of empty wrappers and containers indicating consumption of large amounts of food
• Evidence of purging behaviors, including frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs and/or smells of vomiting, presence of wrappers or packages of laxatives or diuretics
• Drinks excessive amounts of water or non-caloric beverages, and/or uses excessive amounts of mouthwash, mints, and gum
• Has calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles from self- induced vomiting
• Dental problems, such as enamel erosion, cavities, discoloration of teeth from vomiting, and tooth sensitivity 

Binge Eating Disorder

• Secret recurring episodes of binge eating (eating in a discrete period of time an amount of food that is much larger than most individuals would eat under similar circumstances); feels lack of control over ability to stop eating
• Feelings of disgust, depression, or guilt after overeating, and/or feelings of low self-esteem
• Steals or hoards food in strange places
• Creates lifestyle schedules or rituals to make time for binge sessions
• Evidence of binge eating, including the disappearance of large amounts of food in a short time period or a lot of empty wrappers and containers indicating consumption of large amounts of food

How do I get treated?
First, talk to your athletic trainer, doctor, or health care professional about your symptoms.

Different Types of Treatment can include:
Intensive Outpatient/Outpatient

• Patient is medically stable and does not need daily medical monitoring
• Patient is psychiatrically stable and has symptoms under sufficient control to be able to function in normal social, educational, or vocational situations and continue to make progress in recovery

Partial Hospital
Patient is medically stable but:

• Eating disorder impairs functioning, though without immediate risk
• Needs daily assessment of physiologic and mental status

Patient is psychiatrically stable but:

• Unable to function in normal social, educational, or vocational situations
• Engages in daily binge eating, purging, fasting or very limited food intake, or other pathogenic weight control techniques

Residential

• Patient is medically stable and requires no intensive medical intervention
• Patient is psychiatrically impaired and unable to respond to partial hospital or outpatient treatment

Inpatient
Patient is medically unstable as determined by:

• Unstable or depressed vital signs
• Laboratory findings presenting acute health risk
• Complications due to coexisting medical problems such as diabetes

Patient is psychiatrically unstable as determined by:

• Rapidly worsening symptoms
• Suicidal and unable to contract for safety

Comprehensive treatment for Eating Disorders in Grand Rapids: http://eatingdisordersmichigan.com/

• Office: 1003 Parchment Drive, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
• Phone: 616-957-7700