Eating disorders are not due to a failure of will or behavior. They are real, and treatable medical illnesses in which certain patterns of eating take on a life of their own.

People with this disorder see themselves as overweight even though they are dangerously thin. They become obsessed with the whole eating process. They might start avoiding food and meals, picking out only a few foods and eating them in small quantities, or carefully weighing and portioning food. People with anorexia may repeatedly check their body weight, or even use intense and compulsive exercise to maintain their weight control.

Because purging (removing the food from the body) follows the binge-eating episodes, people with bulimia usually weigh within the normal range for their age and height. Like anorexics, they fear gaining weight, desire to lose weight, and feel intensely dissatisfied with their bodies. Bulimics are usually very secretive about their disorder because they feel disgusted and ashamed when they binge, yet relieved once they purge.

Binge-eating disorder is defined as frequent episodes of out-of-control eating. The main difference between binge-eating disorder and bulimia is that individuals with binge-eating disorder do not purge their food. This means that people with this disorder are usually overweight for their age and height. Feelings of self-disgust and shame because of the illness can lead to more bingeing, creating a vicious cycle of binge-eating.

Women are more likely than men to have eating disorders. They usually start in the teenage years and are associated with depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse. Eating disorders can cause numerous health issues such as heart and kidney problems and even death. Getting help early is important. For help, you can call the EDAP (Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention) at 1-800-931-2237 or the Eating Disorders Center at 1-888-236-1188.