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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffThe signs and symptoms of eating disorders vary with the particular type of eating disorder.
Anorexia nervosa
When you have anorexia nervosa (an-o-REK-se-uh nur-VOH-suh), you're obsessed with food and being thin, sometimes to the point of deadly self-starvation. You may exercise excessively or simply not eat enough calories.
Anorexia symptoms may include:
- Thin appearance
- Abnormal blood counts
- Fatigue
- Dizziness or fainting
- Brittle nails
- Hair that thins, breaks or falls out
- Soft, downy hair covering the body
- Menstrual irregularities or loss of menstruation (amenorrhea)
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Frequently being cold
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Low blood pressure
- Dehydration
- Bone loss
Emotional and behavioral symptoms of anorexia may include:
- Refusal to eat
- Denial of hunger
- Excessive exercise
- Flat mood or lack of emotion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Preoccupation with food
Red flags that family and friends may notice include:
- Skipping meals
- Making excuses for not eating
- Eating only a few certain "safe" foods, usually those low in fat and calories
- Adopting rigid meal or eating rituals, such as cutting food into tiny pieces or spitting food out after chewing
- Weighing food
- Cooking elaborate meals for others but refusing to eat them themselves
- Repeated weighing of themselves
- Frequent checking in the mirror for perceived flaws
- Wearing baggy or layered clothing
- Complaining about being fat
Bulimia nervosa
When you have bulimia, you have episodes of bingeing and purging. During these episodes, you typically eat a large amount of food in a short amount of time and then try to rid yourself of the extra calories by vomiting or excessive exercise. In between these binge-purge episodes, you may eat very little or skip meals altogether. You may be a normal weight or even a bit overweight.
Bulimia symptoms may include:
- Abnormal bowel functioning
- Damaged teeth and gums
- Swollen salivary glands in the cheeks
- Sores in the throat and mouth
- Bloating
- Dehydration
- Fatigue
- Dry skin
- Irregular heartbeat
- Sores, scars or calluses on the knuckles or hands
- Menstrual irregularities or loss of menstruation (amenorrhea)
Emotional and behavioral symptoms of bulimia may include:
- Constant dieting
- Feeling that you can't control your eating behavior
- Eating until the point of discomfort or pain
- Self-induced vomiting
- Laxative use
- Excessive exercise
- Unhealthy focus on body shape and weight
- Having a distorted, excessively negative body image
- Going to the bathroom after eating or during meals
- Hoarding food
- Depression or anxiety
Binge-eating disorder
When you have binge-eating disorder, you regularly eat excessive amounts of food (binge), sometimes for hours on end. You may eat when you're not hungry and continue eating even long after you're uncomfortably full. After a binge, you may try to diet or eat normal meals, triggering a new round of bingeing. You may be a normal weight, overweight or obese.
Emotional and behavioral symptoms of binge-eating disorder may include:
- Eating to the point of discomfort or pain
- Eating much more food during a binge episode than during a normal meal or snack
- Eating faster during binge episodes
- Feeling that your eating behavior is out of control
- Frequent dieting without weight loss
- Frequently eating alone
- Hoarding food
- Hiding empty food containers
- Feeling depressed, disgusted or upset over the amount eaten
- Depression or anxiety
Eating disorders in youngsters
Eating disorders can affect people of any age. In children, it's sometimes hard to tell what's an eating disorder and what's simply a whim, a new fad, or experimentation with a vegetarian diet or other eating styles. In addition, many girls and sometimes boys go on diets to lose weight, but stop dieting after a short time. If you're a parent or guardian, be careful not to mistake occasional dieting with an eating disorder. On the other hand, be alert for eating patterns and beliefs that may signal unhealthy behavior, as well as peer pressure that may trigger eating disorders.
