Three Major Eating Disorders

An eating disorder involves disruption in eating behaviors, which can be classified within the three major eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. The eating disorder anorexia nervosa is a serious disorder that involves “the relentless pursuit of thinness through starvation” and is characterize by “weight less than 85 percent of what is considered normal for their age and height”, “an intense fear of gaining weight that does not decrease with weight loss”, “a distorted image of their body shape”, and “amenorrhea in girls who have reached puberty” (Santrock, 371). Anorexia can lead to considerable danger and death. Research shows that up to 20% diagnosed with anorexia nervosa die and 30% die from suicide, as a result of the disorder ().

The eating disorder binge-eating is characterized by eating much more rapidly then usual, eating until feeling uncomfortably full, eating large amounts when not hungry, eating alone, feeling embarrassed about food intake, and feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, and very guilty after the binge. Binges typically occur at least once a week and the after the binge the individual does not engage in any type of compensatory behaviors, unlike in bulimia nervosa. The eating disorder bulimia nervosa involves eating a large amount of food, then proceeding by trying to compensate for the binge and potential weight gain by engaging in purging techniques. Purging techniques include self-induced vomiting, using laxatives and diuretics, but bulimia can also involve non-purging techniques such as, excessive exercise and