It is important to know what disordered eating looks like. Common disordered eating behaviours include:
- Chronic or “yo-yo” dieting
- Having strict food rules
- Over-exercising or using exercise to “make up for” food intake
- Struggling with “food noise” or constant, distracting thoughts of body weight, shape or size
- Feeling guilt or shame after eating
- Taking diet pills and/or supplements with the intention to lose weight
- Binge eating (i.e., eating until uncomfortably full)
- Purging (i.e., self-induced vomiting, laxative use)
- Restricting foods based on what is “good” and “bad”, “healthy” or “unhealthy”
However, everyone is unique and disordered eating patterns may present differently. If someone struggles with all-consuming thoughts of food, eating, or body image that disrupts their daily life, it may indicate disordered eating.
Orthorexia Diagnosis Criteria
Orthorexia may also be classified as disordered eating. This could include a hyper-fixation on foods considered “healthy” (or “clean”, “pure”). This results in the restriction of “unhealthy” foods. “Good” and “bad” food labels can contribute to disordered eating patterns. Foods provide a range of nutrients and serve various roles in our diet. Eating a certain way does not make us morally good or bad. The important thing is to meet our nutrition needs and enjoy food, not judge ourselves based on what we eat. These views can result in rigid food choices and lead to anxiety, guilt, or shame when food rules are broken.
We may think, "Everyone has done these things at some point, they must be normal!" Although certain food behaviours are common in our culture, it does not mean they come without health consequences.
Regular eating is flexible. It involves listening to the body’s hunger and fullness cues and enjoying food without judgement. It aims to make eating a pleasurable and satisfying experience. Orthorexia treatments aim to guide people towards regular eating habits, improved relationship to food, and overall well being.
Disordered eating is often misunderstood. Many people experiencing DEBs may feel embarrassed or fear seeming “weak”. They may be afraid of being judged or feel undeserving of help, believing they should manage it alone. Regardless of readiness to recover from disordered eating, many resources available for support, including:
- Education: Gaining knowledge about disordered eating can be a valuable first step in recovery. To learn more, websites, books, and podcasts can be helpful.
- Support: A strong support network can play a crucial role in recovery. Many groups focus on discussing thoughts and behaviours related to food, body image, or exercise. These may be offered as peer or group support sessions.
- Treatment: Working with a healthcare professional, like a registered dietitian and/or therapist, for disordered eating therapy can help to treat and overcome disordered eating habits. They have knowledge of evidence-based approaches that can help people develop normal eating patterns.
Disordered Eating Statistics
But how common are they really? It is estimated that 25-60% of women and 10-35% of men diet regularly (3–5). As well, the National Eating Disorder Information Centre estimated that 840,000 to 1.75 million Canadians experience eating disorder symptoms (6). Disordered eating can affect anyone. But, some groups may have a higher risk of developing DEBs. These include people in larger bodies and those identifying as 2SLGBTQ+ (7,8).
Different Approaches to Disordered Eating
Weight Inclusivity
This approach promotes health and wellbeing without prioritizing weight or BMI. It recognizes that weight is influenced by factors, like genetics and environment, beyond our control. It seeks to normalize diverse body shapes and sizes. This approach encourages practitioners to confront weight biases to create a more comfortable experience.
Mindful Eating
Mindful eating highlights increasing food awareness and appreciation during meals without judgement. It involves savoring the taste and texture of each bite and eating slowly with intention. Getting rid of distractions while eating can help promote mindfulness.
Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating focuses on ending diet cycles and reconnecting with the body’s internal hunger and fullness cues. It encourages us to eat without food rules, stressing pleasure and satisfaction in meals. The approach also challenges unrealistic body image expectations. As well, it prioritizes enjoyable movement rather than a focus on burning calories.
Exposure Therapy
People with disordered eating may feel a lot of anxiety around certain “fear foods”. Exposure therapy helps them to slowly face these foods again. It addresses and replaces any negative coping behaviours with healthier ones.
A multidisciplinary team, with a dietitian and psychotherapist, may be effective to support those with disordered eating.
Individuals who might be struggling with DEBs can use this self-screening tool to assess their eating behaviours. They can also book a free consultation call and speak to one of our experienced professionals to learn more about the types of support we offer. An eating disorder diagnosis is not required to speak with our team.
*Reserved for Canadian residents.
