What does eating disorder include?
Nov 15, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Baohua
Introduction
Eating disorders are a group of conditions associated with abnormal eating behaviors, encompassing several types, generally including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, pica, and rumination disorder. Anorexia nervosa: patients have excessive concerns about weight and body shape, deliberately restricting food intake, engaging in excessive exercise, inducing vomiting, or other methods to control weight, resulting in body weight below the normal standard.
Eating disorders are a group of conditions related to abnormal eating behaviors and include several types, generally such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, pica, and rumination disorder. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Anorexia: Patients have excessive concerns about weight and body shape, and control their weight through deliberate dietary restriction, excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, or other methods, resulting in weight below the normal standard. This condition is often accompanied by fear of food and malnutrition, and in severe cases may affect endocrine, cardiovascular, and other system functions.
2. Bulimia: Patients repeatedly experience uncontrollable binge eating episodes, consuming large amounts of food in a short period, followed by compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse, or excessive exercise to prevent weight gain. After binging, patients often feel guilt, anxiety, and other negative emotions, creating a vicious cycle of "binge-purge."
3. Binge Eating Disorder: Similar to bulimia, patients experience recurrent episodes of binge eating—consuming large quantities of food rapidly and feeling unable to stop. However, unlike bulimia, they do not engage in compensatory behaviors such as vomiting or laxative use after binging. Over time, this often leads to significant weight gain and increased risk of obesity-related diseases, as well as psychological issues such as low self-esteem and depression.
4. Pica: Patients persistently eat non-nutritive, non-food substances such as dirt, paper, hair, or pebbles. This behavior is not due to curiosity or pranks and is difficult to correct through persuasion. It may lead to physical health risks including gastrointestinal injury, poisoning, and infection.
5. Rumination Disorder: After eating, patients regurgitate recently ingested food back into the mouth, where it may be re-chewed, re-swallowed, or spit out. This behavior is not caused by gastrointestinal disease or other medical conditions and typically occurs shortly after meals. It can impair nutrient absorption and lead to weight loss.
Family members and friends should provide understanding and support, avoid blame, and help the patient gradually restore healthy eating behaviors and mental well-being.
