What are the main signs and symptoms of disordered eating?

    Last Updated: October 13, 2024

    Disordered eating behaviors may include frequent dieting, anxiety related to specific foods or meal skipping, chronic weight fluctuations, rigid rituals and routines surrounding food and exercise, and feelings of guilt and shame associated with eating.

    Individuals with disordered eating are often preoccupied by distorted thoughts about food, weight, and body image. They may also experience a loss of control around food and engage in compulsive eating habits. In an attempt to compensate for consuming what they perceive as "bad foods," they may resort to using exercise, food restriction, fasting, or purging.[1]