Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating habits that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health.

What is an Eating Disorder?

Eating disorders are a type of serious mental health condition characterized by severe disturbances in eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions.

Night Eating Disorder / Syndrome

Binge-Eating Disorder Treatment

Binge-Eating Disorder Signs and Symptoms

What Causes Binge Eating Disorder?

Health Risks of Binge Eating Disorder

See more featured articles »

What is Rumination Disorder / Syndrome?

What is Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder?

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

What Does a Diagnosis of Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) Mean?

How is Anorexia Nervosa Diagnosed?

Anorexia Nervosa Complications

Anorexia Nervosa Signs and Symptoms

Is Anorexia a Metabolic Disorder?

Bulimia Nervosa Signs and Symptoms

What is a Binge-Eating Disorder?

Epidemiology of Orthorexia Nervosa

Signs and Symptoms of Orthorexia

Diagnostic Criteria for Orthorexia

Managing Indigestion (Dyspepsia)

Lifestyle Changes for Indigestion (Dyspepsia)

Uncommon Causes for Indigestion

Latest Eating Disorders News and Research

Study reveals mixed results for common stimulant in treating binge eating disorder

Patients taking a commonly used stimulant for the treatment of binge eating disorder experienced mixed results, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

3 Feb 2025

Mandatory calorie labels may worsen eating disorders

Mandatory nutrition labels may unintentionally harm individuals with eating disorders, raising concerns for public health and obesity intervention policies.

31 Jan 2025

New compound Z526 combats cancer-associated cachexia in preclinical models

In a recent study, researchers demonstrated that Z526, a novel dithiocarbamate-like compound, mitigates cancer-associated cachexia (CAC) both in vitro and in vivo.

29 Jan 2025

Calorie labels on menus harm people with eating disorders

Calorie labels on restaurant menus are negatively impacting people with eating disorders, according to a new study published today in the BMJ Public Health.

29 Jan 2025

Study links changes in opioid neurotransmitters to anorexia nervosa

A study conducted at Turku PET Centre in Finland showed that changes in the functioning of opioid neurotransmitters in the brain may underlie anorexia.

27 Jan 2025

Study finds sharp increase in mental health admissions among children in England

There was a 65% increase in the number of children and young people being admitted to general acute medical wards in hospitals in England because of a mental health concern between 2012 and 2022, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

22 Jan 2025

Study sheds light on how hand size influences weight perception

Researchers have assessed the human perception of the size and weight of body parts, specifically the hand, comparing it to the perception of objects and concluded that it is different.

17 Jan 2025

Brain maturation delays linked to unhealthy eating behaviors in youth

More than half of 23-year-olds in a European study show restrictive, emotional or uncontrolled eating behaviors, according to new research led by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London.

10 Jan 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': End-of-year chaos on Capitol Hill

After weeks of painstaking negotiations, Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate agreed to a major year-end package of health bills, including new regulations for drug companies and pharmacy benefit managers, and renewals of programs to combat opioid abuse and prepare for the next possible pandemic.

19 Dec 2024

Study explores how culture impacts body image for Hispanic women

While culture is intertwined with values surrounding food and body image, cultural differences have historically been overlooked by researchers and clinicians seeking to identify and treat eating disorders.

16 Dec 2024

Physical tests offer prognostic insights for lung cancer patients

A study of patients with metastatic lung cancer by researchers based in Brazil and the United States has found that their performance in simple physical tests such as sitting down, standing and walking can help physicians arrive at a prognosis and approach to treatment.

22 Oct 2024

Study reveals emotional eating risks in middle-aged women with PCOS

Emotional eating and uncontrolled eating are more common in middle-aged women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

17 Oct 2024

Electrolyte abnormalities in eating disorders associated with higher risk of death from any cause

A new study published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that 32% of individuals with an eating disorder had abnormal electrolyte levels, which were associated with a higher risk of death from any cause.

18 Sep 2024

Study reveals sequential neuronal activation regulating food intake

The process of food intake appears to be organized at the cellular level like a relay race: during eating, the baton is passed between different teams of neurons until we have consumed the appropriate amount of energy.

17 Sep 2024

Researchers propose ketogenic diet as a novel treatment for anorexia nervosa

Research identifies a neurobiological model supporting a ketogenic diet as a therapeutic approach for anorexia nervosa, addressing both metabolic and psychological factors.

9 Sep 2024

Calorie information on menus: Worsening eating disorders?

Research paper examines the impact of menu calorie labeling on individuals with eating disorders, revealing both potential benefits and significant risks, and calls for further study to better understand these effects.

29 Aug 2024

Primary care providers key to addressing emotional eating

Primary care providers are well positioned to address emotional eating because of their long-term relationships with patients, noted Jana DeSimone Wozniak, PhD and Hsiang Huang, MD, MPH, of Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

28 Aug 2024