Since the three main types of teen eating disorders:
- Anorexia nervosa, also referred to simply as anorexia
- Bulimia nervosa, also known as bulimarexia or simply bulimia
- Binge eating disorder, also known as binge eating or binging
have different origins and symptoms, the warning signs will, naturally, also differ. The warning signs will be slightly different for the person recognizing his or her own behavior as problematic, and the outside observer – parent, relative, friend, or teacher – whose concern has been raised.
Observation of any one or combination of the symptoms mentioned below is not the equivalent of a diagnosis, which can only be carried out by a medical professional, and some symptoms individually may either a) occur in healthy individuals due to other causes (e.g., use of sports drinks) or b) be symptoms of an entirely different disorder altogether.
Warning Signs of Anorexia Nervosa
Teens who have anorexia nervosa may exhibit the following characteristics:
- noticeable weight-loss
- cessation of menstruation
- excessive concern with weight gain; possibly spends much time before the mirror
- distortion of body image
- aversion to eating, such as skipping meals and taking minute portions
- extreme narrowing of range of foods consumed
- moodiness
- difficulty concentrating
- growth of lanugo (fine, thin hair) all over the body
- dry skin
- use of diet soda and sports drinks
Warning Signs of Bulimia Nervosa
Teens who have bulimia nervosa may exhibit the following characteristics:
- eating unusually large amounts of food (though people who are healthy may do this periodically while having no disorder)
- eating particularly quickly
- eating past the point of comfortable fullness
- eating when not really hungry
- eating alone (due to embarrassment)
- experiencing negative feelings after overeating
- no noticeable physical change from normal
- excessive concern about body
- secretiveness
- purging behavior (through use of vomiting, diuretics, diet pills, or laxatives)
- over-exercise
- fasting or frequent dieting
Warning Signs of Binge Eating Disorder
Teens who have binge eating disorder may have some things in common with the first part – the binging part – of bulimia nervosa, including the following:
- eating unusually large amounts of food (though people who are healthy may do this periodically while having no disorder)
- eating particularly quickly
- eating past the point of comfortable fullness
- eating when not really hungry
- eating alone (due to embarrassment)
- experiencing negative feelings after overeating
- gaining weight
Teen Eating Disorder Warning Signs Sources:
- win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/binge.htm#howdoes
- eatingdisorderscoalition.org/reports/statistics.html
- nyu.edu/999/faqs/bodyimage.html
- anred.com/warn.html
