Describe three main types of eating disorders

Answer 1

There three main categories of eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS), including binge eating disorder. People with anorexia nervosa strive for extreme thinness, e.g. 85% below normal weight. They have a pronounced fear of becoming fat and exhibit endocrine difficulties, loss of menstruation in females and lack of sexual potency in males. Individuals with bulimia nervosa also fear overweight, but they have an overwhelming urge to consume large quantities of food. In response, they will perform inappropriate compensatory behaviors including vomiting; excessive exercise; severe calorie restriction, or misuse of laxatives, enemas, or diuretics. EDNOS may be described as a partial syndrome since symptoms vary and do not entirely match those of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. This category includes binge eating disorder in which individuals binge eat but do not use compensatory behaviors such as vomiting.