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General health information

Eating disorders

An eating disorder is a serious mental health condition in which eating, body image or behaviour around food disrupt health and daily life. You can be seriously ill at any weight. Early treatment improves the chance of recovery; have physical warning signs and safety concerns assessed immediately.

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  • An eating disorder affects thoughts, emotions and behaviour around food and can affect people of any body type or age.
  • Severity cannot be judged by appearance, weight, sex or how much someone seems to eat.
  • Physical instability can result from restriction, vomiting, substances, binges or rapid change.
  • Early specialist treatment increases the chance of recovery and prevents complications.
  • Recovery is possible even if symptoms have lasted a long time or have returned before.

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Further reading

Browse A–Z
A
Anorexia nervosaAnorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder involving food restriction, an intense fear of gaining weight and often a distorted body image.
A
ARFIDARFID is an eating disorder in which someone avoids or restricts food so much that nutrition, growth or daily life suffers, without fear of weight gain being the main reason.
B
Binge-eating disorderBinge-eating disorder involves recurring episodes of binge eating with loss of control and considerable distress or shame, without regular compensatory behaviour as in bulimia. It is a treatable mental health condition, not a lack of willpower. Seek help from your family doctor, especially for physical symptoms or severe low mood.