Merck Manuals Shares What Patients and Loved Ones Need to Know About Eating Disorders

Physician dispels common misconceptions and details how those suffering can get help

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Dec 13, 2021, 12:30 ET

KENILWORTH, N.J., Dec. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly one in 10 Americans will suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime. Individuals who will struggle with eating disorders can be any age and any gender. Despite how relatively common these conditions are, many stigmas and misconceptions exist, making it more challenging for someone with an eating disorder to get treatment and for their loved ones to provide the necessary support.

In a new editorial on MerckManuals.com, Evelyn Attia, MD, Columbia University Medical Center, shares what people should know about eating disorders, including where to turn for help and how family can lend support.

1. An Eating Disorder is not a Choice

Eating disorders are biological conditions that involve a disturbance of eating or behavior related to eating, typically including changes in what or how much people eat and/or measures people take to prevent food from being absorbed (for example, making themselves vomit or taking a laxative). They are not a lifestyle choice, and they require treatment to address.

Eating disorders fall into four general categories:

Anorexia nervosa -- characterized by a relentless pursuit of thinness, a distorted body image, an extreme fear of obesity, and restriction of food consumption, leading to a significantly low body weight.
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder -- characterized by eating very little food and/or avoiding eating certain foods without the concern about body shape or weight that is typical in people with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
Binge-eating disorder -- characterized by eating unusually large amounts of food—much more than most people would eat in a similar time under similar circumstances.
Bulimia nervosa --characterized by repeated episodes of rapidly eating large amounts of food, followed by attempting to compensate for the excess food consumed.

2. Family Members Do Not Cause Eating Disorders

There's an old misconception that parents and families somehow play a role in children developing eating disorders. This is not true. Families are not to blame. In fact, they can be a key part in helping treatment. There's significant evidence that shows the best way to help teens with anorexia nervosa normalize their weight is a family-based approach.

3. You Can't Tell Someone has an Eating Disorder Just by Looking at Them

Eating disorders come in all shape and sizes, and it's not always apparent that someone is suffering just based on their weight or their looks. Anorexia nervosa is the only disorder that is classified by body weight without further definition. Binge eating is often associated with being overweight or obese, but there is no direct connection in definition or diagnosis.

4. Eating Disorders can – and must – be Treated

People must understand that eating disorders are serious conditions that need to be addressed and treated. For an older individual who believes they may be suffering from an eating disorder, talking to a primary care physician is an important first step. For family members, the best way to broach the subject is often to let the person know that you are concerned while reinforcing that you will support the person and help them get whatever help is needed.

Read more about eating disorders in Dr. Attia's editorial on MerckManuals.com.

About The Merck Manuals and MSD Manuals

First published in 1899 as a small reference book for physicians and pharmacists, The Merck Manual grew in size and scope to become one of the world's most widely used comprehensive medical resources for professionals and consumers. As The Manual evolved, it continually expanded the reach and depth of its offerings to reflect the mission of providing the best medical information to a wide cross-section of users, including medical professionals and students, veterinarians and veterinary students, and consumers. In 2015, The Manuals kicked off Global Medical Knowledge 2020, a global initiative with the goal to make the best current medical information accessible by up to three billion professionals and patients around the world by 2020. The Manuals achieved that goal, and today its medical information is available in more than 241 counties and in nearly a dozen languages. It's continuing its ambitious mission through outreach, education and creating new reliable medical resources. For access to thousands of medical topics with images, videos and a constantly expanding set of resources, visit MerckManuals.com or MSDManuals.com and connect with us on social media:

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About Merck

For over 130 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

SOURCE The Merck Manuals