At any given time across Australia, around four percent of the population have an eating disorder.
The term ‘eating disorder’ covers a range of disturbed eating behaviours including:
- Anorexia Nervosa - characterised by low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of gaining weight resulting in a refusal to eat;
- Bulimia Nervosa - characterised by repeated episodes of binge eating immediately followed by induced vomiting, fasting, over-exercising, and misuse of laxatives, enemas, or diuretics;
- Binge eating Disorder - characterised by frequently eating excessive amounts of food, often when not hungry.
- Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders - a term used when the disturbed eating patterns does not fit another eating disorder diagnosis.
For more information, visit Inside Out Institute for Eating Disorders
These organisations can provide information and support for people, family members, friends, and carers of a person experiencing an eating disorder.