In light of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I would like to dispel some of the myths surrounding eating disorders. I work with many women who suffer with these debilitating conditions which are often misunderstood. I am also approached by countless women who are seeking help for weight loss, when it's their eating challenges that specifically need addressing. They often show signs of disordered eating behaviour.
The eating disorder charity BEAT estimates that 1.25 million people are currently suffering from an eating disorder in the UK. However, this figure only represents those who have been officially diagnosed. Many others remain undiagnosed, so the figure is likely to be higher.
Eating disorders are common in individuals between 14 and 25 years but you may be surprised to hear that they have been seen in children as young as 6 and in people in their 70s. They can affect people regardless of their background, ethnicity, gender, age and body size. One of the biggest misconceptions being that someone must be underweight in order to have an eating disorder.
It is unlikely that someone will just wake up one day and have an eating disorder. These individuals will go on a journey and there are signs to look out for that they may be heading in this direction. Some of the signs include severe dieting and restriction (of calories /macros), over evaluation of their body/ distorted body image, frequent bingeing and excessive exercise in order to change their body size.
Eating disorders and disordered eaters are on the same continuum and it is very easy for a disordered eater to slip in to eating disorder territory. It is also possible for people to experience several eating disorders in their lifetime, they often morph from one to another.
One in fifty will experience this illness….
It is estimated that as many as one in fifty people experience Binge Eating Disorder (BED) -the most common eating disorder. Regrettably, few people understand that it is an eating disorder in its own right. often BED sufferers feel they are not taken seriously, feel judged, shame and intense guilt.
People with this illness, do not enjoy bingeing, as some may believe. It involves episodes of eating much more rapidly than normal, eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry until feeling uncomfortably full. The episodes can be exceptionally distressing for the individual who will often eat alone and isolate themselves to do so.