Eating disorders occur when one develops an abnormal pattern of eating. The disorders occur out of a person’s obsession with food, body, or body shape. This obsession is mostly psychological and may have several health consequences. In very rare cases, eating disorders may even lead to death. Here is a list of the five most heard of eating disorders:

Binge eating
It is a condition when one cannot resist the urge to eat food and often devour upon large quantities of food to such an extent that they start feeling uncomfortable. Moreover, in this condition, one may feel shame and try to eat secretly. Binge eating is often caused due to heartbreak, immense pressure at work or school, or peer pressure. It may have a disastrous effect on one’s life. It is noted that 40% of men and more than 60% of women suffer from this condition.

Anorexia nervosa
A person suffering from this type of eating disorder has the tendency to resist food out of the urge to lose weight or to look thin. For this, one may tend to keep a constant track of their weight and consciously make an effort to avoid eating several different kinds of food just to maintain or restrict calories.

It’s almost like inflicting pain on self because despite having the urge to eat food, one avoids the same. This takes a toll on the individual as they are constantly thinking about food to such an extent that one starts hoarding recipes of food. People suffering from this condition don’t like to eat in public, try to stay aloof, and are mostly not spontaneous.

Bulimia nervosa
Unlike binge eating, where one is conscious about where to eat, when suffering from bulimia, one cannot just resist the urge to eat, no matter where they are. One might consume food items which they otherwise do not like and the eating goes to the extent where they cannot control eating even if they want to. Individuals suffering from bulimia nervosa may attempt to purge in order to compensate for the calories that they have consumed as well as relieve discomfort in the gut. Common purging behaviors include forced vomiting, excessive exercise, fasting, enemas, laxatives, and diuretics.

Rumination disorder
In this kind of an eating disorder, one may bring back the swallowed or chewed food and have the tendency to chew it again or spit the food out. The situation occurs within the first 30 minutes after the consumption of the meal and it is voluntary in nature. One may develop this condition at any stage of life—childhood, teenage, or even adulthood. In infants, this condition may develop between 3 and 12 months and in most cases, it disappears on its own. In the later stages of life, a person might require therapy to get rid of the condition.

Pica
A person of any age may develop this condition. Under this condition, an individual has the tendency to eat non-edible substances like chalk, hair, cloth, pebbles, dirt, soil, detergent, wool, and other even if they are not able to consume the same. The condition is most commonly seen in people with mental disabilities, children, and pregnant women. As people consume or crave for such unusual items, they often lack nutrients and are at the risk of infections, injuries, and poisoning. This condition may be extremely lethal and should not be ignored.