An eating disorder is usually described as a condition that can be associated with irregular eating habits or an unhealthy concern about body weight or shape. Inadequate or excessive amount of food intake might cause damage to an individual’s well being. This disorder can lead to heart and kidney problems and even death, so getting help early is important. Factors that may lead to the development of an eating disorder include the following:

• Genetics
• Environment
• Peer pressure
• Emotional health
• Age
• Gender
• Dieting

Types of eating disorders and their signs
Eating disorders can be classified into six types:

Anorexia Nervosa
This disorder occurs when one tries to keep one’s weight as low as possible, by not eating enough food, exercising too much, or both. It generally occurs in teens and tends to affect more women than men. Thinning of bones, brittle hair and nails, infertility etc. can be experienced in this type of disorder. It might also result in heart, brain, or multi-organ failure and death. Common symptoms of this disorder are mentioned below:

• Being considerably underweight compared to people of similar age and height
• Restricted eating patterns
• A fear of gaining weight, despite being underweight
• An unwillingness to maintain a healthy weight

Bulimia Nervosa
This is one of the serious eating disorders too. People with bulimia consume a large quantity of food in short periods of time and then puke it out through forced vomiting, excessive exercising etc. People in this case maintain a normal weight rather than becoming underweight. Side effects of bulimia may include worn tooth enamel, tooth decay, severe dehydration, and hormonal imbalance. A few symptoms of bulimia nervosa are as follows:

• Lack of control while eating
• Unwanted vomiting to prevent weight gain
• A fear of gaining weight, despite having normal weight

Binge eating disorder
This is one of those eating disorders where the affected person regularly and uncontrollably consumes large quantities of food in short periods of time. This type of disorder usually begins during teen years and early adulthood and such people are often overweight or obese. This type of disorder increases the chances of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes. Symptoms of this disorder are as follows:

• Lack of control during eating
• Felling guilty when thinking about binge eating behavior
• No calorie restriction, vomiting, or excessive exercising to compensate bingeing

Pica
This is a disorder wherein the affected individual tends to eat non-food items such as chalk, ice, dirt, soil, soap etc. This disorder usually affects children, pregnant women, and individuals with mental disabilities.

Rumination disorder
This is a disorder that can affect a person at all stages of life. It describes a condition wherein a person brings back the swallowed food to the mouth and re-chews it and then either re-swallows it or spits it out. This disorder can result in weight loss and malnutrition that can be fatal.

Avoidant or Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
This disorder occurs due to lack of interest in food or due to the smell or taste of certain foods. It generally occurs in infancy and could continue till adulthood. Common symptoms of ARFID are as follows:

• Weight loss or slow development
• Picky eating habits

Eating disorders should never be ignored, and they require medical help as soon as possible. If left untreated, they can lead to various lifestyle diseases, obesity, or malnutrition, and even death.