What is the Difference Between Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating?

Indians are known to consume different types of foods, especially spicy ones. Disordered eating is considered to be an epidemic in Indian culture. Many being unaware tend to consume foods that are not at all good for health. This, in turn, results in developing disordered food behaviours. Around 35% ‘normal dieters’ are found to exhibit pathological dieting pattern.

Eating disorder and disordered eating

People suffering from eating disorders generally display disordered eating. However, all disordered are not diagnosed with full-fledged eating disorder. Difference can be stated in severity and frequency of behaviours as well as the directress caused to the person. If you are experiencing any of the issue, you should immediately visit a professional dietitian and get a well-planned out diet. It should be healthy, nutritious and filling.

Their similarity

Disordered eating occurs if you are found to engage in abnormal food behaviours or eating patterns regularly. It fails to apply to those experiencing specific health issues or food intolerances. Perhaps, there may be no choice present, but maintain certain diet. Those practicing disordered eating may be noticed to cope up with several uncomfortable emotions.

Issues faced

Perhaps, they tend to focus on calorie intake or weight to get distracted from other life aspects that they feel inadequate. On reaching the set weight goals, they often set a lower one. It is how eating disorders tend to develop. On the other hand, emotional eating causes binges or develops bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder. People experiencing disordered food behaviours, may feel quite anxious about food.

Moving towards eating disorder

Food shaming is considered to be negative talk about food that is directed either at oneself or others. It only develops hostility towards food as well as a culture where disordered eating tends to become the norm slowly. This particular aspect only worsens with people getting more interested in ‘clean’ or ‘healthy’ eating.

Development of disordered food behaviours

Restrictive diets like Paleo diet, veganism or gluten-free diet may cause disordered food behaviour. It is not that everyone practicing such rigid food rules experience eating disorder. Some may even are reported to derive specific health benefits. Such diet’s social acceptability might only make it more troublesome to detect people struggling with them.

Is it possible to prevent disordered eating?

It becomes essential to prevent disordered eating habits. It should be done before it causes eating disorder! Professional help might be desired based on the severity faced by individual behaviour. If you practice intuitive eating and fear foods, then you should consult immediately a registered dietician. In case the underlying cause for the development of such disordered food beavers is the result of psychological issues, then consult a psychotherapist.

Avoiding crash diets

If you are a fitness freak, then remember, crash diets will not do any god. It is necessary to understand that food provides nutrition and energy to the body. Hence, you need to be aware of disordered eating and eating disorders to ensure healthy, disease-free life.