Eating behaviour exists on a spectrum: at one end is a healthy and intuitive relationship with food and your body; at the other end are clinical eating disorders. So when does disordered eating become an eating disorder?

To explain what is disordered in terms of eating, it is helpful to look at the other end of the spectrum first: what is healthy eating.

Healthy Eating Behaviours:

Healthy eating behaviours is different for every person. It may look like:

• eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full, most of the time
• eating a variety of different foods
• sometimes eating in response to emotions like happiness and sadness, but such behaviours rarely associated with guilt
• taking advantage of meaningful food-related experiences and social interactions such as eating local foods or eating traditional foods
• food takes up some of your time and thinking space, but keeps its place as only one aspect of your life
  

Disordered Eating Behaviours:

Disordered eating is used to describe a range of irregular eating behaviours. It is a descriptive phrase, not a diagnosis. Disordered eating may look like:

• Frequent dieting, anxiety associated with specific foods or meal skipping 
• Chronic weight fluctuations
• Rigid rituals and routines surrounding food and exercise
• Feelings of guilt and shame associated with eating
• Preoccupation with food, weight and body image that negatively impacts quality of life
• A feeling of loss of control around food, including compulsive eating habits
• Using exercise, food restriction, fasting or purging to “make up for bad foods” consumed

Although these signs may also be used to describe an eating disorder, the severity and frequency is often lesser in people with disordered eating. Disordered eating behaviours are among the most common risk factors for the development of an eating disorder.

Eating Disorder Behaviours

Eating disorders are classified into different types, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Fifth Edition. Classifications are made based on the presenting symptoms and how often these occur, and include:

• Binge eating disorder (BED)
• Other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED)
• Bulimia nervosa 
• Anorexia nervosa 
• Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
• Unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED)
• Pica
• Rumination disorder

If your eating habits have become concerning or are distressing to you, i may be time to reach out to a health care professional. Even if you do not have a diagnosed eating disorder, if eating is causing you to feel shame, guilt, fear or anxiety, you are worthy of seeking support and amending your relationship with food.

Al xx