Eating Disorders vs Disordered Eating
Disordered eating and eating disorders. These terms are often used interchangeably but did you know there are distinct differences between them? Let's discuss these differences and understand just how a Registered Dietitian can help you reach recovery.
Eating Disorders
Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) are examples of eating disorders. An eating disorder is a mental illness that can be diagnosed by Physicians using specific criteria. This criteria often includes restriction of food intake relative to the person's needs, frequent purging of food such as inducing vomiting following meals, recurrent episodes of binge eating, strong displeasure with body image, and compulsive/excessive exercising.
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that can lead to numerous health complications such as malnutrition, loss of bone density, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and anemia. Eating disorders often require treatment by multiple healthcare professionals including Psychiatrists, Dietitians, and Therapists. These illnesses can also require partial or full hospitalization should the person be unable to nourish themselves adequately on their own.
Disordered Eating
Unlike an eating disorder, disordered eating is not a recognized mental illness. Disordered eating is used to describe behaviors and attitudes toward food or one's body that are harmful but don’t meet full diagnostic criteria for eating disorders. Though it is possible for disordered eating habits to turn into eating disorders if not addressed.
Some examples of disordered eating habits include: compulsive/frequent weighing, strict/rigid approaches to calorie tracking, rigid clean eating habits, refusal to eat food they did not cook, and believing one must earn food through daily exercise. In my experience, disordered eating often starts with the motivation to eat a very nutritious diet and exercise more frequently. Unfortunately, what starts out as positive may turn to harm should the person begin to attach their own self worth to being a certain body weight or perfectly meeting their calories & macros to the point of obsession.
How a Registered Dietitian can help
We all know that Physicians and Therapists treat mental illness, but did you know Dietitians often treat eating disorders and disordered eating alongside these professions? All Dietitians are trained in psychology and behavior modification. We combine this training with our knowledge of anatomy and physiology to help our patients overcome their food fears, create healthful habits, and nourish their bodies.
Sessions focused on eating disorder recovery often feel a lot like therapy. We approach food in a neutral lense where there are no good foods or bad foods. We address negative body image and help you unlearn harmful thought processes to promote body positivity/neutrality. Furthermore, we look at your fitness/athletic based goals and help you fuel in a way that supports your bodies energy and recovery systems.
What does recovery look like?
Recovery can look different for many people. Here are some strategies I’ve used to help my patients find recovery:
In depth discussions on food attitudes and perceived consequences of consuming certain foods.
Food exposures. This includes consuming foods in session and describing thoughts/feelings associated with it.
Weekly meal planning. Grocery shopping can be overwhelming when an eating disorder sets in. I often help my patients map out a full week of eating complete with a grocery list and recipes.
Grocery store outings. The concept of body doubling is a great strategy to calm anxiety and fears. I’ve gone shopping with patients to navigate stores, choose foods that nourish, and calm anxiety.
Exercise planning. Compulsive exercise can be a detriment to our fitness goals and health. By designing exercise plans I enable patients to understand what appropriate exercise looks and feels like.
Intuitive eating counseling. For some people calorie tracking can be incredibly harmful. Following an intuitive eating approach can allow you to find peace with food while nourishing your body.
These strategies address the root cause of the eating disorder. They promote deeper understanding of our bodies nutrient needs and foster self efficacy and independence. The result is a person who can confidently nourish themself, gain appreciation and love for their body, and improves their physical performance.
Wrapping Up
Even though eating disorders and disordered eating have key differences, the treatment for recovery looks very similar. Having a team of healthcare professionals on your side is a great way to ensure you recover appropriately and avoid health complications. Whether you have been diagnosed with an eating disorder or feel your dietary pattern is slightly disordered, I want to help you. Nutrition coaching at Lift STL is a great way find recovery while acclimating yourself to a space that values performance and strength. For questions or a free discovery call, please email andrew.youck@lift-stl.com.