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I-Team: Understanding The 4 Different Types of Eating Disorders

DAYTON — Throughout National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, Centerville psychologist Dr. Meredith Glick Brinegar has provided insight into the mental illnesses, at a time when the National Eating Disorders Association reports a 40 percent increase in calls for help.

NEDA is the largest non-profit organization for eating disorders support.

>> Part One: I-Team: Psychologist warns pandemic causing more, severe eating disorders

>> Part Two: I-Team: As pandemic increases eating disorders, Oakwood woman’s story inspires recovery

>> Part Three: Misconceptions surrounding eating disorders, as I-Team finds pandemic makes the mental illnesses worse

“These are real, legitimate medical disorders, that I think don’t get the attention that they deserve,” Dr. Meredith Glick Brinegar said.

Thursday, Dr. Glick Brinegar explained the four main types of eating disorders the mental health community recognizes. Below, are NEDA’s definitions.

>> Eating disorder resources

Anorexia nervosa:

“Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by weight loss (or lack of appropriate weight gain in growing children); difficulties maintaining an appropriate body weight for height, age, and stature; and, in many individuals, distorted body image. People with anorexia generally restrict the number of calories and the types of food they eat. Some people with the disorder also exercise compulsively, purge via vomiting and laxatives, and/or binge eat.”

Source: National Eating Disorders Association https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline

Bulimia nervosa:

“Bulimia nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating.”

Source: National Eating Disorders Association https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bulimia

Binge eating disorder:

“Binge eating disorder (BED) is a severe, life-threatening, and treatable eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food (often very quickly and to the point of discomfort); a feeling of a loss of control during the binge; experiencing shame, distress or guilt afterwards; and not regularly using unhealthy compensatory measures (e.g., purging) to counter the binge eating.”

Source: National Eating Disorders Association https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bed

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder:

“An eating or feeding disturbance (e.g., apparent lack of interest in eating or food; avoidance based on the sensory characteristics of food; concern about aversive consequences of eating) as manifested by persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs associated with one (or more) of the following:

· Significant weight loss (or failure to achieve expected weight gain or faltering growth in children).

· Significant nutritional deficiency.

· Dependence on enteral feeding or oral nutritional supplements.

· Marked interference with psychosocial functioning.”

Source: National Eating Disorders Association https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/arfid

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