Signs & Symptoms

Signs & Symptoms that an Eating Disorder may be present:

• Dieting, Fasting, Skipping meals
• Reducing portions
• Avoiding certain food groups (fat, protein, carbs)
• Reading food labels, counting calories
• Dislike of foods that use to be enjoyed
• Avoiding eating in front of others
• Avoiding situations that may involve eating
• Ritualistic or odd food behaviors (counting bites, chewing food  a certain number of times, having to eat at certain times, arranging and eating foods in certain order)
• Chewing food and spitting it out
• Preoccupation with food (e.g., cooking a lot but not eating the food, reading cookbooks, watching food shows on T.V)
• Excessive exercise to get rid of calories
• Evidence of Bingeing (large amounts of food missing; empty boxes, cans, food packages)
• Signs of purging (soiled toilet, use of bathroom after eating, running water while using bathroom)
• Weight loss or extensive focus on trying to lose weight
• Excessive fears of becoming fat
• Wearing baggy clothing
• Excessive concern about size of clothing (wants to wear certain size)
• Excessive viewing of body in reflective surfaces or avoidance of viewing self in reflective surfaces
• Extreme dislike/criticism of all or some body parts

Informative web sites for patients and families:

• National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
• Academy for Eating Disorders (AED): a multidisciplinary professional organization focused on eating disorders
• American Dietetic Association (ADA): nutrition resources
• BodyImageHealth.org; building healthy body image esteem
• Eating Disorder Hope; information on recovering from eating disordered behavior
• Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (F.E.A.S.T)
• Something-Fishy.org: informational website on eating disorders
• Gurze Books: books on eating disorders
  
  *Inclusion on this list of resources is in no way an endorsement of these sites.  The clinic is not responsible for the informational content of these sites.