Tag: Eating disorder facts

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, binge eating disorder is the number one most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting more people than anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa combined. This serious mental health condition is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, often accompanied by feelings of a lack of control and severe distress.

A crucial fact about orthorexia is its exclusion from the official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), even though it is widely acknowledged by clinicians as a debilitating form of disordered eating. This obsessive preoccupation with 'healthy' or 'pure' eating can cause significant distress and medical complications, highlighting the gap between clinical recognition and formal diagnostic status.

The term *anorexia nervosa* is derived from a blend of ancient Greek and Latin, and its literal translation is “nervous absence of appetite”. This translation is notably misleading, as most individuals with the eating disorder do not truly lose their appetite but actively suppress it. The etymology provides a window into a past misunderstanding of the condition's psychological complexity, which is now understood to be about control and fear, not a simple lack of hunger.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, millions of Americans will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime, with binge eating disorder (BED) being identified as the most prevalent. This often-misunderstood condition affects a significant portion of the population and is more widespread than better-known disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.