Recognition

Warning Signs & Symptoms

Eating disorders often go undiagnosed because the signs can be subtle, especially in the early stages. You cannot tell if someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them. Learning these warning signs can help you recognize a problem early — in yourself or someone you care about.

Important: Having some of these signs does not necessarily mean someone has an eating disorder. However, if you notice several of these signs in yourself or someone else, especially if they persist or worsen over time, it is worth seeking a professional evaluation. Early intervention dramatically improves outcomes.

Behavioral Warning Signs

Changes in behavior around food, exercise, and social activities:

Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, carbohydrates, fat, or dieting

Refusal to eat certain foods, progressing to restriction against whole categories of food

Appears uncomfortable eating around others

Skipping meals or taking small portions at regular meals

Food rituals — chewing excessively, rearranging food on plate, eating foods in a certain order

Withdrawal from usual friends and activities

Frequent dieting or following new fad diets

Evidence of binge eating — disappearance of large amounts of food

Evidence of purging — frequent trips to bathroom after meals, wrappers or packages of laxatives or diuretics

Excessive, rigid exercise regimen despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury

Cooking elaborate meals for others but refusing to eat them

Wearing baggy or layered clothing to hide body shape or weight loss

Emotional & Psychological Signs

Changes in mood, self-perception, and mental state:

Extreme concern with body size, shape, and appearance

Extreme mood swings

Frequently checking in the mirror for perceived flaws

Intense fear of gaining weight or being "fat"

Distorted body image — expressing feeling fat despite evidence to the contrary

Low self-esteem, especially related to appearance

Denial that anything is wrong, even when confronted with evidence

Feeling disgusted, depressed, or guilty after eating

Increased irritability and difficulty concentrating

Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or being out of control

Physical Warning Signs

Physical changes that may indicate an eating disorder:

Noticeable fluctuations in weight, both up and down

Stomach cramps, acid reflux, and other gastrointestinal complaints

Dizziness, fainting, or difficulty concentrating

Feeling cold all the time, even in warm weather

Sleep problems and chronic fatigue

Dry skin and brittle nails

Thinning hair or hair loss on head

Fine hair on body (lanugo)

Dental problems — cavities, discoloration, enamel erosion, sensitivity

Swelling around the area of salivary glands (chipmunk cheeks)

Muscle weakness

Impaired immune functioning — getting sick more often

Menstrual irregularities or loss of period (amenorrhea)

Calluses on the back of the hand and knuckles from self-induced vomiting

Poor wound healing

Recognize these signs?

If you see these warning signs in yourself or someone you care about, seeking help early makes a real difference. You don't have to be "sick enough" to deserve help.

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