Did You Know?

• Shared features of eating disorders include undue preoccupation with food, weight, and shape and fears of loss of control over eating

• Some eating disorders, like anorexia nervosa, are associated with the loss of appetite and weight or with failure to gain weight during childhood

• Other eating problems are associated with large quantities of food and weight gain, like binge eating disorder, or with purging, laxative abuse, excessive exercise, or other compensatory strategies like bulimia nervosa

• Clinical clues pointing to a possible eating disorder include pronounced weight changes, abnormal vital signs, delayed growth and development, overuse musculoskeletal injuries, and unexplained laboratory abnormalities (like hypokalemia and alkalosis from purging)