Everyone eats in different ways. You might eat loads one day, be less hungry another day, or go through phases of wanting to eat more or less healthily. That’s completely normal.
But sometimes the way we feel about food and eating can become a problem. Some signs that you may have a problem include:
Eating problems are common and they can affect anyone with any body shape or lifestyle, regardless of gender, culture, age or ethnicity.
Some people mistakenly think that eating disorders only affect girls, but this isn’t true. Studies suggest roughly 25% of people affected by eating disorders are male.
Instagram artwork by @allbodiesart. On top of a light green square it reads in capitals: 'My body is good', with a list in lower case describing how your body is good regardless of your doubts.
Many things can cause eating problems. You might develop an eating problem when things don’t feel right in other parts of your life, especially if you’re feeling worried, stressed or out of control. Some eating problems might be triggered by other mental health conditions. Some autistic people also struggle with certain textures or types of food, which can be a symptom of a condition called ARFID.
Images we see in the media or on social media can make us feel we have to look a certain way, or be a certain weight, which can cause us to change the way we eat. But there's no "right" or "wrong" way to look - everyone's body is different.
Struggling with food or eating is never the fault of the person going through it and anyone experiencing problems around food deserves to get better.
If your eating problem is having a really big impact on your life, a doctor might diagnose you with an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia or other eating disorders (see ‘Different types of eating problems’ below for more information).
Here are some examples of eating behaviours that you may be struggling with:
If you’re struggling with any of these symptoms, or any other issues around eating, it’s a good idea to talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling. You might think you know what having an eating disorder looks like, but people might experience different symptoms or issues with their eating problems. Also your weight or appearance does not determine whether you have a problem, and it’s important to remember that eating problems can affect anyone, no matter their age, appearance, race, gender or identity.
Being able to control how much or what you eat might give you a feeling of order, but it can lead to more serious issues. If you are worried at all, please reach out for help.
Some eating problems can become serious mental health conditions that need professional help to diagnose and treat. In very serious cases, and without the right kind of support and treatment, they can even cause death. This is why it is so important to speak to someone if you or a friend are struggling with eating to get the right help to recover. It might feel really difficult, but you can get through it and you deserve to get better.
If you struggle with eating and your relationship with food for some time and it is having an impact on your day-to-day life, a doctor might diagnose you with an eating disorder.
Below are some common eating disorders.
People with anorexia nervosa (sometimes just called anorexia) generally try to keep their weight low by limiting how much food they eat, doing too much exercise, or both. They may have “rules” about what they eat, or when and where they eat. And they may think they are larger than they are, and worry about gaining weight.
ARFID stands for ‘avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder’. This used to be known as selective eating disorder. People with ARFID avoid certain foods or types of food, or they may limit how much food they eat. Unlike anorexia, people with ARFID don’t necessarily do this to lose weight.
Common reasons people with ARFID may limit their food intake include:
Binge-eating disorder is a condition where people regularly eat large quantities of food in a short time and feel like they are not in control of this, or that they are unable to stop. In a binge eating episode, people may eat a lot faster than usual, or eat even though they’re not hungry, and feel embarrassment or shame afterwards. This can be very distressing.
Although binges are often unplanned and catch the person off-guard, sometimes they can be planned, and the person might buy particular types of food to eat. People with BED might also go to extreme lengths to get food such as eating food that has been thrown away or that doesn’t belong to them.
Unlike bulimia, people with binge-eating disorder don’t usually “purge” afterwards (try to get rid of any food in their body).
Read this blog from Holly, 18, about her experience of binge-eating disorder and what helps her.
Bulimia is a type of mental health condition called an eating disorder. People with bulimia can get into a cycle of “binge-eating” (over-eating) and “purging” (trying to control your weight by making yourself sick, using laxatives, or over-exercising).
Although many of us will eat a bit more than usual on occasion, this is different to bingeing. Bingeing is often very distressing, people do not feel in control of it and they might eat things that they would usually avoid. It is usually a way of dealing with difficult feelings and emotions, and is often followed by a desire to purge. People may feel trapped in a cycle of bingeing and purging.
You may feel that parts of your life are out of control and that purging or restricting calories gives you a sense of control. But bulimia can seriously damage your body, so it's important to get help and find other ways of coping.
Although bulimia is a serious condition, there's lots of help available.
OSFED stands for ‘other specified feeding or eating disorder’. If you experience disordered eating but your symptoms do not neatly fit with the symptoms of anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating disorder, you may be diagnosed with OSFED. This is very common – in fact, it’s the most common eating disorder.
OSFED is an umbrella term and people experiencing it might have very different symptoms. Some examples of what OSFED might look like include:
Pica is an eating disorder where someone cannot stop themselves from eating non-food items that have no nutritional value, such as soap, chalk or dirt. Most people with pica will also eat regular food items.
You might not feel like your problem with eating fits any of these descriptions, but this does not mean that you are any less deserving of support. If you feel like you have a problem with eating, speak to a trusted adult to get help and support.
It’s important to remember that eating disorders can affect anyone no matter their age, race, gender, identity, background or appearance and that anyone can access support for eating problems.
My eating disorder felt deeply ingrained in my life and intertwined with who I was, and I believed I would be nothing without it. Fortunately, I found help outside traditional care routes through online services, a local LGBT charity, and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT).
Alongside this, I taught myself to cook, which was vital in changing how I viewed food. The voice slowly became quieter.
Every eating disorder is different, and not everybody experiences the same symptoms and experiences, so whatever your experience is, please know that it’s valid. You should always listen to advice from any medical professionals or specialists as they are trained to help and support you in the best way possible.
Being around unfamiliar foods and eating dinner daily with my extended family, most of whom I had never met before, was very difficult. As I have lived in London my whole life, and am no longer fluent in my mother tongue, I felt disconnected from the traditional Gujarati culture and attitudes. In India, having an eating disorder was another thing that made me feel even more alien.
The best way to recover from an eating problem is to get support early. Although this can be scary, there is help available and you can recover.
If you think you might have an eating disorder, telling someone about it can feel quite hard. But we’ve worked with many young people with eating disorders, and they tell us that talking about it was the first step on their road to recovery.
Some social media accounts can glamourise eating problems through the content they post. These can be really damaging and unhelpful for your recovery. Although it can be hard, try to replace them with more positive accounts. Read our page on social media and mental health for more advice.
Rebuilding your relationship with food can be challenging, but your doctor can help you get the support you need. They might suggest talking therapies that can help you figure out and deal with the issues that have triggered your eating problem. They may also want to measure your weight to assess your BMI (Body Mass Index) – it’s okay to be nervous about this, but just remember they don’t want to judge you, they only want to help.
In England, young people under the age of 18 can refer themselves to community eating disorder services, although some services have suspended self-referral due to high demand. You can find your nearest eating disorder support service via the NHS website.
The charity Beat has more information on how to get help in their guide to getting treatment for an eating disorder.
Sharing your experiences with others can help you to feel less alone, find support and get better.
The Nest is a welcoming online space for anyone who has (or thinks they have) an eating disorder. The sessions are run and moderated by Beat staff, and offer a confidential and safe space to share your experiences with other people in similar situations.
They run every day from 8-9pm and you can attend as often or as little as you like.
Instagram artwork by @Crazyheadcomics. A windy road sits on a spotty green background with different points picked out on the road.
Here are real stories and advice from young people who have struggled with their eating.
Hope Virgo struggled with expressing her emotions from a young age. As a teenager, she began to eat less and less, until a point came where her heart was close to failing and she was admitted to hospital to be treated for anorexia nervosa.
Watch Hope tell her story in her own words.
Watch time: ~7mins
If you see your friend restricting at mealtimes, or they seem to be obsessing over food and exercise, you don’t have to confront them about it yourself. In fact, if you were to, they may deny it and attempt to hide it even more. Instead, tell a responsible adult that your friend trusts (e.g. a parent or teacher) that you think something might be wrong.
Remember that by telling an adult that you think there might be a problem, you are not being a bad friend - in fact, you are being the best friend you could possibly be by helping them and spotting the signs of a relapse early before it spirals out of control. Even if your friend does not see you helping them as a good thing immediately, I promise when they begin to recover they will really appreciate it.
We have information and advice on a range of subjects, which you may find helpful.
If you're not sure where to turn to for support right now, these services can help you.
Offers information and support for anybody affected by eating disorders.
One-to-one web chat available. They also run a range of online support groups, which are all fully moderated and anonymous, including a chat group for under 25s.
Enter your postcode in the HelpFinder to see what eating disorder support is available in your area.
View their information on helpline accessibility and confidentiality.
Offers online information as well as helpline support to under-25s about anything that’s troubling them.
Email support is available via their online contact form.
Free 1-2-1 webchat service and telephone helpline available.
Provides information about local counselling and advice services for young people aged 12-25.
Just put in your location and what you need help with into their 'Find help' search, and see what services are available in your area.
If you’re under 19 you can confidentially call, chat online or email about any problem big or small.
Sign up for a free Childline locker (real name or email address not needed) to use their free 1-2-1 counsellor chat and email support service.
Can provide a BSL interpreter if you are deaf or hearing-impaired.
Hosts online message boards where you can share your experiences, have fun and get support from other young people in similar situations.
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