Eating Disorders - Symptoms

Symptoms

Possibly the most bewildering symptom of eating disorders is the distorted body image (body dysmorphia). Although people typically associate distorted body image with severe anorexia, one study indicated that distortion may be more prevalent in people with bulimia. People with bulimia were more likely than those with anorexia to overestimate their size. There was also a greater disparity between what they wanted to look like and what they believed they looked like. In another study, people with anorexia tended to have an accurate perception of their upper body, but overestimated the size of their abdominal and pelvic area.

Symptoms Specific to Bulimia without Anorexia

People with bulimia nearly always practice it in secret, and, although they may be underweight, they are not always anorexic. Symptoms or signs of bulimia may, therefore, be very subtle and go unnoticed. They may include:

• Evidence of discarded packaging for laxatives, diet pills, emetics (drugs that induce vomiting), or diuretics (medications that reduce fluids)
• Regularly going to the bathroom right after meals
• Suddenly eating large amounts of food or buying large quantities that disappear right away
• Compulsive exercising
• Broken blood vessels in the eyes (from the strain of vomiting)
• Pouch-like appearance to the corners of the mouth due to swollen salivary glands (occurs within days of vomiting in about 8% of people with bulimia)
• Dry mouth
• Tooth cavities, diseased gums, and irreversible enamel erosion from excessive acid
• Rashes and pimples
• Small cuts and calluses across the tops of finger joints due to self-induced vomiting

Symptoms Specific to Anorexia

Weight Loss. The primary symptom of anorexia is major weight loss from excessive and continuous dieting, which may either be restrictive dieting or binge-eating and purging.

Young women who have both diabetes and eating disorders may have normal weight or even be overweight from the effects of insulin. However, they still are at high risk from the medical consequences of anorexia.