What Is NEDA?
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week takes place this year from February 28th to March 6th. 1.25 million people in the UK are affected by eating disorders. The week aims to inform the public on the nature and reality of the disorder, as well as offer support to those affected by it.
What Is An Eating Disorder?
An eating disorder is a condition in which a person uses food as a means of dealing with their emotions, difficult situations or experiences. Anyone can be affected by the disorder but most cases involve female teenagers and young adult women.
Types Of Eating Disorders
The most common are:
Anorexia:
- This involves a person trying to control their weight by either exercising too much or eating too little. In some cases, a person may do both.
Bulimia:
- This involves a person’s eating behaviour becoming out of hand and then taking drastic action to not put on weight
Binge Eating Disorder:
- This involves a person uncontrollably eating large amounts of food to the point of feeling sick or nauseous
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID):
- This is when a person avoids certain foods due to its taste, texture, smell or appearance and or limits how much they eat.
Other Specified Feeding Or Eating Disorder (OSFED):
- This is for a person who has an eating disorder which does not match typical symptoms of the eating disorders mentioned above.
What Causes Eating Disorders?
There isn’t a single cause for eating disorders. There can be many complex reasons why an individual may develop an eating disorder. Below are a few examples. Medical experts believe that they develop and occur due to a number of factors for example:
Social Factors:
- Emotionally difficult or stressful situations or events such as abuse, bullying, grief, school/work and social media
Biological Factors:
- A family history of eating disorders or a difference in hormone levels
Psychological Factors:
- Low self esteem or the need to be a perfectionist
Warning Signs
Should you be concerned for your or someone’s health and safety, these are the following warning signs to look out for :
- Exercising a lot
- Dramatic weight loss
- Playing with their food
- Looking poorly or unwell
- A drop in mood and energy
- Eating very slowly or quickly
- Socially withdrawing from friends and family
- Avoiding eating in front of others or with them
- Constantly worrying about their body weight and figure
- A change in fashion, opting to wear loose or baggy clothes more
- Being vague or defensive when asked about their eating behaviour e.g. how much they ate or when they last ate
Who Can Help
Recovery from eating disorders is possible. The sooner someone seeks help and receives it, the better their chances are if you are concerned about yourself or someone else then it is recommended that you speak to your GP or contact the Student Wellbeing Centre for advice but also visit the NHS website and BEAT website which will have resources available to help.
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