Eating disorders and disordered eating

Your body and mind are closely connected. Eating disorders and disordered eating are about more than food, they’re also about how you feel about yourself, and can be a way of coping with negative feelings and challenging situations. Eating disorders are not choices. They can affect people of all genders, ages, races, ethnicities, body sizes, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses.

What is the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating?

  • An eating disorder is a complex mental illness with physical effects (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder)
  • Eating disorders are serious and can have life-threatening complications, but they are also treatable illnesses.
  • Approximately one million Canadians meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder.
  • Disordered eating is a broad term that includes extreme concerns related to eating behaviours, body size, and body image.
  • Disordered eating shares signs and symptoms with clinically diagnosed eating disorders, but not all individuals who display disordered eating behaviours have eating disorders.

When to seek help

If you or someone you know has signs or symptoms of disordered eating, you should get help from a medical professional. Getting help early is important for a full recovery.

  • Strict rules around eating and exercise
  • Restricting the types of food you eat without a medical reason
  • Unhealthy weight control behaviours, such as skipping meals, using diet pills, vomiting after eating, or abusing laxatives
  • Exercising too much or too often
  • Feeling out of control when eating
  • Eating large amounts of food in a short time
  • Feeling guilty about eating

Getting help

Supporting family and friends