Eating disorders vs. Disordered eating

By: Radhika Sahay

Illustration by: Devyani Pandey

In a world fixated on unfair body standards and revolving around societal expectations, navigating the muddled maze of stereotypes about eating disorders and disordered eating is a challenge for most. Brimming on the surface are people's stereotypes on eating disorders. These conditions are reduced to blaming the victim for being dramatic, telling them to just suck it up, to just EAT. Lying beneath the surface, however, are inexplicable struggles that the victims of eating disorders go through on a daily basis.

Statistics suggest that at least 9% of the U.S. population, or 28.8 million Americans, will go through an eating disorder in their lifetime. Yet, more than 39% of Americans from a survey conducted in 2018 believe that eating disorders are a cry for attention, a passing phase. The truth is that eating disorders aren't understood well enough by some people. They are complex mental health conditions, characterized by unhealthy eating habits and distorted attitudes towards food, weight, and most importantly, body image. Sometimes, these conditions are hard to perceive even by the affected individuals themselves.

Disordered eating, on the other hand, is an entirely separate concept. These two issues may share commonalities, but they are often misunderstood by people, leading them to form assumptions and spread false information. This is why it is important to understand how one issue differs from the other.

Disordered eating doesn't match the same diagnostic criteria as eating disorders. While an eating disorder is a clinical diagnosis, disordered eating refers to abnormal eating patterns, which may not be as serious as eating disorders. However, they are equally important to be educated about. Disordered eating falls under a broader spectrum of complicated relationships with food, encompassing a range of factors like skipping meals, overeating occasionally, or excessively counting your calories.

When the mind takes control, our grip on rationality starts to slip. Eating disorders are clinically

diagnosed medical conditions that lead to adverse effects on a person's mental as well as their physical health, while damaging their self-esteem at the same time. Some of the disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, as well as avoidant food intake disorder. The list is unending.

There is a thin line between disordered eating and eating disorders, blurry enough to be overlooked by most. The symptoms of disordered eating start off small, like skipping a meal or two. If these habits are left unaddressed, they may evolve into eating disorders. The severity and degree of the symptoms of a person facing either of the two issues help us understand exactly which category their condition falls into. Disordered eating involves restricting certain food groups, eating to deal with stressful situations, etc. Millions of teenagers are affected by it. Their social lives may lead them onto the path of checking every package for its calorie count before they pick it up. Small decisions can soon metamorphose into obsessions.

So how do we prevent both these issues? Promoting body positivity has, thankfully, come more to light through social media. Early intervention is immensely important in treatment for disordered eating. If not stopped in its early stages, it can evolve into a more severe condition. Providing education in schools about a disordered patterns of eating as well as eating disorders is crucial. If made aware at a young age, there’s an increased chance of kids deviating from the unhealthy eating habits as they grow older. Putting the idea of change in people's minds requires them to understand why and educating them about these disorders and escaping the taboo culture is vital to broaden their understanding.

As the world around us changes, we are forced to change with it. Let us make it be for the better, not for the worse. Recovery is not about being perfect. It's about learning to be okay with being imperfect, being real, and still embracing every step of the journey.

Bibliography:

Hunnicutt, Carrie. “New Study Reveals Perception about Eating Disorders.” Rosewood Centers for Eating

Disorders, 30 Mar. 2022,

www.rosewoodranch.com/new-study-reveals-perception-about-eating-disorders/.

Kristen Fuller, MD. “Difference between Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders.” Verywell Mind,

Verywell Mind, 28 June 2022,

www.verywellmind.com/difference-between-disordered-eating-and-eating-disorders-5184548.

Author links open overlay panelGalmiche Marie 1 2 3, et al. “Prevalence of Eating Disorders over the

2000–2018 Period: A Systematic Literature Review.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,

Elsevier, 26 Apr. 2019, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652203177X.

Professional, Cleveland Clinic medical. “Eating Disorders: Types, Causes, Treatment & Outlook.”

Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4152-eating-disorders. Accessed 30 Aug. 2023.