Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders

This article discusses the difference between disordered eating and eating disorders, types of eating disorders, causes, and treatment recommendations. It emphasizes the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment involving nutritionists, therapists, and medical doctors. Family members should also be involved in the treatment process to provide support and encouragement to the patient.

Running head: DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS 1
Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS 2
Introduction
A lot of individuals think that disordered eating (DE) and eating disorders (ED) are
similar in description. However, the two diseases are different in definition and manifestation.
Disordered eating is a collective term that point to the various abnormal behaviors of eating
meals (Culbert, Racine, & Klump, 2015). On the other hand, eating disorders are diseases that
change the eating habits of an individual (Mehler, & Andersen, 2017). The causes of eating
disorders include depressions and stress due to changes in body shape or weight. The diseases
are characterized by taking little than normal food uptake by an individual. Other people
consume excessive chunks of meals when they have the eating diseases. The absorption of
excess or a small amount of food interferes with the normal functioning of body organs.
Examples of the disorders are Binge, Bulimia Nervosa, and Anorexia Nervosa (Brownell,
& Walsh, 2017). The diseases occur at any developmental phase of human beings. However,
physiologists report a majority of cases at the early stages of growth. Therefore, a large
percentage of the disorders affect children. Well-Constructed treatment methods help to alleviate
the diseases. The affected individuals should visit health facilities for a check-up before the
symptoms become severe. Delayed diagnosis and treatment worsen the effects of the dietary
diseases and can lead death of an individual (Douglas, 2015). Eating disorders are mental
disorders and majorly occur as a result of depression, anxiety, and drug addiction. The clear
distinction between DE and ED is the severity level and occurrence frequency. This paper will
look at the difference between DE and ED. Furthermore, the essay will discuss the types of EDs
and treatment recommendations.
Types of Disordered Eating (DE)

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There is a variety of DEs and EDs at the same time. Disordered Eating habits include
Binge-eating and fasting (Nagata et al., 2018). The individuals who fast go for days, weeks, or
even months without feeding. In most scenarios, the people fasting drink water and entirely
forego meals. There is a group of individuals who have the habits of skipping meals. The
skippers can take a break first and skip lunch after which they eat dinner. There are those who
control the type of food elements that they partake. For instance, an individual can opt to take
carbohydrates and refuse to eat proteins.
Some individuals take diet pills to compensate for the foods that they cannot have during
feeding. An example is an individual who does not take fatty foods but opts for tablets to cover
up the lack of fats in the diet (Herpertz-Dahlmann et al., 2015). The use of creatine and steroids
is also an example of DE. Athletes use the mentioned supplements to improve their performance
on the various sporting categories. The supplements also change their appearances. However,
excessive use of supplements is detrimental to the health of the athletes. The individuals should
use little amounts of supplements to prevent harm.
Types of Eating Disorders (ED)
Anorexia Nervosa
The disease affects both males and females and occurs at all phases of development.
However, the complication is rampant in individuals approaching adulthood (Boraska et al.,
2014). The affected individuals believe that proper eating leads to weight gain. Furthermore, the
persons affected to decline the chance of maintaining their weight. Anorexia Nervosa also makes
individuals to view the image of their body in a false perspective (Zipfel et al., 2015). Therefore,
those affected are not comfortable with their shapes and sizes. The people crave to maintain their
weight by all means. The condition makes people take little food to avoid being overweight.

DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS 4
Anorexia Nervosa makes people see themselves in an oversize scenario. Few individuals may be
genuinely overweight, but a majority is of the right weight. The obese individuals minimize
feeding to gain the proper pressure. However, those with desirable weight become thin due to the
disease. The disease has serious health drawbacks on the affected individuals. The condition
leads to brain disorders and bone loss. Furthermore, anorexia causes infertility in women. There
are also reported cases of heart and organ failures in the affected individuals (Zipfel et al., 2015).
The disease can also lead to coma, and severe cases lead to deaths if not noticed and treated at
early stages.
Bulimia Nervosa
The affected individuals tend to have habits of binge-eating which they frequently repeat.
The affected persons also develop habits of compensating for their overeating habits. The
behaviors include too much exercise and induced vomiting (Wilson, & Bannon, 2018). Certain
individuals use diuretics and laxatives to correct their overeating habits. The individuals
consume excessive food but fear to gain weight. Moreover, Bulimia makes the affected persons
sad due to their expanding body shape and size. Therefore, they use corrective measures to
match their feeding habits. The main aim of the victims is to maintain their weight regardless of
their feeding behaviors.
The victims carry out the binge-eating in secrecy due to the fear of shame. The
individuals also undergo the cycle of plunging away from people since they cannot control the
behavior (Wilson, & Bannon, 2018). Moreover, Bulimia makes victims guilty hence most of
them live secret lives. Furthermore, they feed and perform habits such as induced vomiting away
from people. The disease leads to internal injury like gastrointestinal complications. The

DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS 5
condition can also lead to heart failure if not treated at the early stages. Victims also complain of
electrolyte imbalance and electrolyte imbalance.
Binge-eating Disease (BED)
The victims of this disorder cannot regulate their eating habits. There is a thin line
between the disease and bulimia. The binge-eating illness does not result in fasting, excess
exercising, and purging like bulimia (Guerdjikova, Mori, Casuto, & McElroy, 2017). The
disorder leads to obesity and related complications such as overweight and diabetes. Recent
research has shown that BED also points to several heart complications. The disease affects both
male and females and occurs majorly in adulthood. The affected individuals face guilt due to
their unusual feeding habits (Cassin, & David, 2014). Moreover, BED causes depression and
embarrassment to the affected persons. The effects of the condition increase the severity of the
disease hence should get medical attention at the juvenile stages.
Causes of EDs
Recent research speculates that the eating disorders occur as a result of numerous
conditions. However, scientists cannot point out the exact causes of the feeding diseases.
Researchers have pointed out that a conglomeration of physiological, biological, and
environmental factors lead to the occurrence of E.Ds. The natural causes include abnormal
functioning of the hormones and genetics (Schulte, Grilo, & Gearhardt, 2016). The other
biological factor is insufficient nutrients in food. Physiological factors include a negative
perception of an individual’s weight and size (Rozenblat et al., 2017). A majority of individuals
also have weakened self-esteem.
The environmental issues that lead to Eating disorders include career paths that require
employees to maintain a specific shape and size. Examples of such professions include modeling

DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS 6
and ballet. Some sports need the participants to be thin to improve their performances (Saukko,
2017). Such sporting activities include diving, gymnastics and boat rowing. Other restricted
sports are wrestling and running for long distances. Childhood and family trauma cause
individuals to develop the E.Ds. There are also a peer and cultural pressure to maintain a certain
size and shape. Depression also causes an individual to establish an eating disorder.
Approaches to Eating Disorders
Medical Approach
The person suffering from the disorder should first develop a plan for treatment before taking
the medications. The idea should be able to treat the treat the disease within a specified period.
Moreover, the program enables the individual to focus on the specific disorder such as bulimia
(Treasure, Smith, & Crane, 2016). The physician should begin by attending to physical
complications as a result of the eating disorder. The hospital administration should gather the
necessary resources to participate in different eating disorders. The physicians should expose the
patient to the available treatment options. The clients should choose an option that is affordable
and has little or no side effects.
Medications are ideal in the management of Eating disorders but eliminate the diseases. The
limitation of the drugs calls for a combined therapy by the psychological means. A majority of
eating disorders occur as a result of depression hence physicians prescribe antidepressants as a
remedy for the diseases (Treasure, Smith, & Crane, 2016). The drugs work well in cases of the
binge-eating illness. Furthermore, disorders that cause purging habits can also end when the
patient uses antidepressants. There are medications which reduce the effects of complications
such as anorexia. The antidepressants minimize anxiety and depression hence reducing the
chances of contracting E.Ds.

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The family members of victims should take them to hospitals in cases of severe eating
complications. Anorexia patients who cannot gain weight or eat require urgent medical attention.
The disorders can also result from mental or physical health complications. Such cases need
immediate medical remedy (Treasure, Smith, & Crane, 2016). The physicians have the
responsibility of stabilizing the severe symptoms of the disorder. The stabilization process starts
with the normalization of weight and eating habits of the victim. The medical attention of severe
cases requires many days and weeks to correct the feeding anomaly. The therapy can be in the
form of individual, family, or group therapy.
Psychological Approach
The approach works better than medical and biomedical methods. The patient should
regularly visit a psychologist to advise on the remedies to the complications. The therapy can go
for a long time until the disorder ends. Psychological assistance rectifies the eating habit of the
victim thereby achieving a desirable weight (Hilbert et al., 2015). Moreover, the patient switches
from undesirable feeding behaviors to desirable ones. The experts train their clients on the ways
of checking their moods and eating habits. Furthermore, the victims develop necessary skills
after the learning sessions. Psychological advice also enables individuals to manage stress
without altering their eating habits. Expert advice allows victims to improve their relationship
with others. Their mood also enhances after the lessons by the expert.
Psychological Treatment
Cognitive therapy
The therapy monitors an individual's feelings, thoughts, and behaviors concerning the eating
disorder (Hilbert et al., 2015). Firstly, the psychotherapist assists the individual to develop
acceptable feeding habits. Secondly, the expert provides tips on how to maintain a healthy size,

DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS 8
shape, and weight. The lesson ends when the client can keep their weight without supervision.
Cognitive therapy also enables one to identify and alter unwanted thoughts that result in feeding
diseases.
Family-based Intervention
The therapy is home-based and involves the attention of family members. The members
of the family assist in the identification of the disorder. Secondly, the members help in the
restoration of desirable feeding patterns (Hilbert et al., 2015). The principal objective of the
family is to assist the patient in maintaining proper body weight. The intervention train parents
on ways of helping their children to sustain efficient eating habits.
Group intervention
The remedy involves visiting a psychologist in the company of other victims of eating
disorders. The forums enable the patients to share their feelings, behaviors, and thoughts
concerning the feeding disease (Baer, 2015). The expert, therefore, trains the clients on how to
manage their symptoms. Furthermore, the patients acquire skills on ways of restoring proper
eating behaviors. Nutritional education helps the victims to maintain a balanced diet. The
teaching enables the victims to know how to plan their meals without skipping any meal. The
training should sensitize the patients on the need to maintain three square meals in each passing
day. The clients should also strive not to diet. The patients should learn how proper feeding
impacts their body. The victims should also discover the relationship between eating disorders
and physical issues.
Treatment Recommendations
The complications are always severe and complicated in manifestation. Experts
recommend that a team of highly qualified caregivers should attend to patients with eating

DISORDERED EATING AND EATING DISORDERS 9
disorders. The medical experts should develop a comprehensive recovery and healing process for
the victims. The physicians create the plans of treatment to address the numerous complaints by
the victims (Hay et al., 2014). The aim of the procedure should be to restore the regular feeding
habits. The remedy for eating disorders is a multi-chain due to the numerous causes of the
diseases. The treatment should involve nutritionists, therapists, and medics to ensure recovery of
the patients. Therefore, every expert must produce the best treatment to eliminate the disorders.
The nutritionists should advise on the feeding habits and the frequency of eating per day.
The victims should have their feeding timetable until they recover from the eating disorder. The
patients should take a balanced diet and maintain not less than three meals on a daily basis
(Juarascio et al., 2015). The medical doctors have the responsibility of monitoring the patient and
taking proper care of them in the health facility. The doctor should examine the condition of the
patient and to recommend appropriate medication to cater for the disease. The physician can
recommend antidepressants for stressed patients.
Psychotherapists should also play a vital role in the treatment of eating disorders. The
fact that no medical remedy can cure the condition necessitates the presence of a
psychotherapist. Therapy can take the form of a family, a group, or an individual (McElroy,
Guerdjikova, Mori, & Keck, 2015). Any type of therapy is essential in treating the disorders. The
patient should choose the treatment that best fits their condition. Therapy creates room for the
victim to disclose the causes of their feeding diseases. Furthermore, the therapeutic period
enables the patients to recover from the conditions that cause the disease. The healing period is
sufficient for complete recovery and restoration of healthy eating habits.
The patients learn about the skills of managing stress hence escape from possible
disorders due to depression. The experts encourage the patients to share out their problems to

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10
avoid anxiety. The recommended medications vary depending on the seriousness and the type of
disorder. The first treatment step should involve the recognition of the kind of the eating disorder
that is affecting the patient (Cook-Cottone, 2015). Secondly, the physicians should address the
problem and recommend the appropriate medications such as antidepressants. Physiotherapists
and nutritionists are essential experts in the treatment of eating disorders.
Conclusion
Disordered eating and Eating disorders are almost the same but differ on the level of
seriousness. Disordered eating is a collective term that implies the various abnormal behaviors of
taking meals. On the other hand, eating disorders are complications that alter the eating
behaviors of a person. The different types of disordered eating include binge-eating and fasting.
Other examples are the uptake of dietary pills and selective feeding. Eating disorders include
Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Other examples of ED include binge-eating disease and
many others. The eating disorders are as a result of biological and psychological factors.
Additionally, environmental issues result in the conditions. The approaches for dealing with the
diseases are both medical and psychological approaches. The renowned drug used to manage the
disorders is the antidepressants. Psychological approaches complement the therapeutic procedure
in the treatment process.

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