Eating Disorders

What is an eating disorder?

An eating disorder is when you have an unhealthy attitude to food, which can take over your life and make you ill.

It can involve eating too much or too little, or becoming obsessed with your weight and body shape.

But there are treatments that can help and you can recover from an eating disorder.

Men and women of any age can get an eating disorder, but they most commonly affect young women aged 13 to 17 years old.

What does an eating disorder look like?

  • Dramatic weight loss or gain

  • Lying about how much and when they have eaten, or how much they weigh

  • Eating a lot of food very fast

  • Going to the bathroom a lot after eating, often returning looking flushed

  • Excessively or obsessively exercising

  • Avoiding eating with others

  • Cutting food into small pieces or eating very slowly

  • Wearing loose or baggy clothes to hide their weight loss

Causes of eating disorders

  • You or a family member has a history of eating disorders or depression

  • You have been criticised for your eating habits, body shape or size

  • You're overly concerned with being slim

  • You have anxiety or low self-esteem

  • You have an obsessive personality or are a perfectionist