People with Anorexia Nervosa restrict their food intake relative to their needs, leading to significantly low body weight for their age, sex, level of development or general health. Often there is intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though one might be underweight. There is also typically a disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is experienced, excessive importance placed on weight or shape, or denial of the seriousness of the low weight despite the risk or presence of medical complications. Binge eating or purging may also occur during Anorexia Nervosa.

Individuals with ARFID limit or avoid eating certain foods (for example, avoiding foods with specific sensory qualities or due to fear of negative consequences other than weight gain),often resulting in significant weight loss and/or nutritional deficiencies. ARFID does not involve the disturbance in the way in which one’s body is experienced or fear of weight gain that is typically seen in Anorexia Nervosa.

This disorder involves engaging in repeated episodes of binge eating.  Binge eating consists of eating a large amount of food, more than most people would eat, in a discrete period of time and feeling out of control while eating. In Binge Eating Disorder, binging episodes typically include eating more rapidly than normal, eating until uncomfortably full, eating large amounts when not feeling physically hungry, eating alone, and/or feeling guilty or disgusted after eating.  The diagnosis is not made on the basis of weight.

Bulimia Nervosa involves engaging in repeated episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors that are attempts to alleviate or avoid the psychological or physical effects of binging (e.g., weight gain). Binge eating refers to eating a large amount of food, more than most people would eat, in a discrete period of time and feeling out of control while eating. Compensatory behaviors may include self-induced vomiting, laxative or diuretic misuse, or excessive exercise. Bulimia may or may not result in weight gain.

This term describes feeding or eating behaviors that interfere with proper nutrition intake and cause distress or impairment in daily living but do not meet full diagnostic criteria for any of the other eating disorders. These behaviors may involve multiple features of one disorder or features of several disorders, and may lead to inability to maintain weight. Conditions categorized as OSFED still can be so severe that they warrant treatment with an eating disorders professional, or management in higher levels of care than traditional outpatient treatment.