Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses.

Their thoughts and feelings about their size and shape have profound impact on their sense of self and their self-esteem as well as their relationships.

eating an unusually large amount of food, usually within a couple of hours, and feeling out of control while doing so.

Anyone can be affected. Eating disorders do not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, or race. They can be found in both sexes, all age groups, and across a wide variety of races and ethnic backgrounds around the globe.

Eating disorders are influenced by BOTH genetic AND environmental (i.e., pressure to be thin, trauma, etc.) factors.

Eating disorders can be recognized by a persistent pattern of unhealthy eating or dieting behavior that.

They often do not recognize or admit the seriousness of their weight loss and deny that it may have permanent adverse health consequences.

during a binge, an individual may feel compelled to eat, and find it extremely difficult, if not impossible to stop eating.

Eating disorders are more common in women, but they do occur in men.

pressure to be thin, and trauma.

The three official categories of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS).

Even when underweight, individuals with anorexia continue to be fearful of weight gain.

Attempts to "undo" the consequences of the binge by using unhealthy behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, enemas, diuretics, severe caloric restriction or excessive exercising.

Female gymnasts, ice skaters, dancers, and swimmers, to name a few, have been found to have higher rates of eating disorders.

women in the media may play a role in the recent increase of eating disorders.

Eating disorders occur all over the world, especially in industrialized regions or countries.

Women with anorexia nervosa often stop having their periods.

Individuals with bulimia nervosa are obsessed and preoccupied with their shape and weight and often feel as if their self-worth is dependent on their weight or shape.

Male athletes are also at increased risk, especially those in sports such as wrestling, bodybuilding, crew, running, cycling, climbing, and football.

The critical first step in treatment of anorexia nervosa is re-nutrition and weight restoration back to the healthy weight range.

EDNOS includes many types of eating disorders including purging in the absence of binge-eating, meeting some but not all of the symptoms of anorexia or bulimia nervosa, and chewing and spitting out food.

In the restricting sub-type, people maintain their low body weight by restricting food intake and, sometimes, by exercise.

binge-eating and engagement in inappropriate, unhealthy behaviors to counteract the binges at least twice weekly for three months.

Currently, about one in 20 young women in the community has an eating disorder.

A review of research studies concluded that bulimia nervosa can be treated effectively with cognitive behavioral therapy.