The idea that you must be underweight or extremely thin to have an eating disorder is absolutely not true. In short, any person of any weight or body shape can have an eating disorder. Eating disorders are not only for thin, white women.

In fact many individuals that have deep rooted histories of being told they needed to change their bodies because their weight was too high, even early in childhood. Many have spent decades trying to lose weight only to develop an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder etc. Even if an individual’s weight or BMI is not low, eating disorders can still be dangerous and can cause harmful, sometimes fatal, medical complications to the body. Clinicians that treat eating disorders know very well that many eating disorders can fly under the radar for years because a person is not below weight.

If you think you may have an eating disorder, no matter what your weight, consider finding a treatment team. It is important that an individual has a therapist, dietitian and medical provider that collaborate on your care.

Is binge eating really an eating disorder?

Binge eating is an eating disorder. Many individuals are frustrated with the lack of progress they have made trying to lose weight and in the process fear they have become “obsessed” with food. Consider using this assessment for binge eating disorder (BED) provided by the “Am I Hungry?” website: https://amihungry.com/programs/mindful-eating-for-binge-eating/binge-eating-scale/

Consider working with a professional on this issue and start on the road to recovery from an eating disorder. Learn to identify and change the repetitive process of restriction, binge eating and guilt/shame.