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Eating disorder

Eating disorders are a group of mental disorders that interfere with normal
food consumption. They may lead to serious health problems and, in the case
of anorexia nervosa, even death. The major recognized eating disorders are
anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

An eating disorder is a serious psychological condition. The sufferer is
obsessed with food, diet and often body image to the point where their
quality of life suffers, and their health is at extreme risk from their
long-term poor or inadequate diet. Most victims of an eating disorder do not
recognise that they have a problem and they will refuse treatment and
attempt to hide their abnormal behaviour from others. Treatment of eating
disorders can take decades, so early identification may be the difference
between life and death for the patient.

The two major types of eating disorder which will be the most familiar to
many are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Binge eating disorder is
similar to bulimia. Large amounts of food are consumed at a sitting but
retained in the stomach rather than being regurgitated. Some experts
consider a complaint called orthorexia to be a valid eating disorder - the
sufferer is overly obsessed with the consumption of what they see as the
'right' foods for them (vegan, rawfoods, paleolithic etc), to the point
where their nutrition and quality of life suffers. Some people have food
phobias about what they can and can't eat, which may also be a form of
eating disorder.

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