Download Introduction to lesser-known eating disorders

Introduction to lesser-known
eating disorders
Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating – when people think of eating disorders, it’s probably one or
maybe all of these they think of. However, there are a number of other disorders that can cause
health and social problems for the people who have them:
Night eating syndrome
More serious than the occasional midnight snack, people with night eating syndrome consume
the bulk of their calories at night – a study published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association found people with the syndrome consumed over half of their daily calories between
8 p.m and 6 a.m. Harvard Health Publications reports researchers are examining links between
the syndrome and weight gain.
The disorder also occurs in patients with mental health issues. A study conducted in 2006 by
researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine and the University of
Minnesota found the syndrome to be common in psychiatric care outpatients. The researchers
also found associations between the disorder and substance abuse.
Orthorexia nervosa
It may sound odd to hear healthy eating described as a disorder, but that’s exactly what Steven
Bratman, M.D., did in his 1997 article. Orthorexia nervosa – which is not listed as a disorder in
the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
– refers to obsessively healthy eating. People with orthorexia obsess over the purity and
perceived healthy qualities of their food. They may punish themselves with excessive exercise
According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), orthorexia can become a
problem when the obsession over healthy diet takes over an individual’s life, displacing other
interests and relationships. Additionally, the drive to only eat foods perceived as healthy can
create phobias over certain kinds of food as well as drive the patient into malnutrition from not
eating a balanced diet.starts demonstrating symptoms of a relapse.
Purging disorder
At first glance, this disorder sounds identical to bulimia. According to eating disorders advocacy
group Mirror Mirror, people with purging disorder purge – via vomiting, laxatives and/or
diuretics – after eating. However, there’s a crucial difference: People with purging disorder do
not binge on food before they purge. They also don’t exercise to the same degree that people
with bulimia do after bingeing.
Unfortunately, that’s where the differences end. People with purging disorder suffer the same
health effects as people with bulimia. Deliberately vomiting can cause a person to become
seriously dehydrated, as well as depriving their body of vital salts such as potassium. Purging
behaviors can also cause heart problems, cause the teeth to become discolored and damaged
and create sores in the mouth. In extreme cases, deliberate vomiting can rupture the esophagus,
leading to death. Also, abusing diuretics and laxatives can seriously damage the digestive system
and urinary tract, leading to organ failure and other problems.
While these eating disorders may not get as much attention as the others, they can be just as
problematic to a person’s mental, social and physical health. It’s important to keep an eye out
for the warning signs and be aware of when dysfunctional eating takes control of a person’s life.
Sovereign Health offers treatment for various eating disorders at our facilities in San Clemente
and Rancho San Diego, California. We treat the disorder as well as co-occurring mental health
and substance use issues. Call our 24/7 helpline to learn more.
About the author
Brian Moore is a staff writer and graphic designer for Sovereign Health. A 20-year veteran of
the newspaper industry, he writes articles and creates graphics across Sovereign’s portfolio of
marketing and content products. Brian enjoys music, bicycling and playing the tuba, which he’s
done with varying degrees of success for over 25 years. For more information and other inquiries
about this media, contact the author and designer at [email protected].