Eating Disorders:
Know the Signs

About 30 million Americans struggle with eating disorders (ANAD). They are one of the deadliest mental health disorders. They cause an average of one death every hour. Eating disorders are hard to spot because they can look like dieting. It can even be hard for doctors to spot unhealthy eating habits. People with eating disorders don’t always look underweight. 

Recognize these signs

Diet

• Skipping meals
• Cutting out sugar, carbs, fat or dairy
• Counting calories
• Weighing food 

Exercise

• Rigid exercise routine
• Obsessive use of fitness trackers (like reaching ‘step goals’)
• Exercise as a ‘punishment’ for eating 

Body

• Loss of period (for females)
• Weight change
• Tiredness, fatigue, dizziness, moodiness, feeling cold
• Swollen cheeks, calloused knuckles, tooth damage, bad breath (from vomiting/starvation)
• Thinning hair

Health

• Obsessive ‘clean’ eating
• Refusal to eat ‘unhealthy’ foods
• Detoxes or cleanses 

Social life

• Socializing to avoid food
• Skipping socializing to exercise

Bathroom habits

• Going to the bathroom often or for a long time
• Long showers after meals
• Laxative use or vomiting