The American Psychological Association has identified two primary types of eating disorders that exist in adulthood: anorexia and bulimia. Not all adults with an eating disorder fit into one of these well-defined categories, and the APA has a third category called "Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified." For children, the APA has identified three additional eating disorders: pica, rumination disorder and feeding disorder. The APA's publication, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, doesn't include overeating to the point of excessive weight gain as a psychological disorder.
Anorexia and Bulimia
Anorexia exists when, out of a fear of gaining weight, a person maintains lower than normal weight through the use of various compensatory measures such as vomiting and excessive activities. Bulimics also fear weight gain and engage in these same types of compensatory measures to avoid gaining weight. Bulimics, however, are typically at or above normal weight.
Not Otherwise Specified
This category of eating disorders is a "catch-all" for obvious eating disorders that may have some or most of the criteria for anorexia or bulimia but fail to meet the recognized standards for those disorders. An example is the person who chews food and then spits it out instead of purging the food later. Another example is what's often called binge eating disorder, in which a person experiences recurring eating binges without any of the symptoms associated with anorexia or bulimia.
Pica
Pica is a childhood disorder that involves the persistent and recurring eating of non-food substances for a least a month. Typical substances eaten by younger children include pieces of string or thread, small pieces of cloth or hair. Older children with pica frequently choose animal droppings, insects, rocks, dirt or sand. Pica is frequently associated with childhood developmental disorders and infrequently related to vitamin or mineral delicacies. There is no evidence of a specific biological cause for the behavior.
Rumination Disorder
Rumination is another childhood disorder. It involves the intentional regurgitation of food that's re-chewed and swallowed. In this disorder, the behavior becomes a pattern that must exist for a month before a diagnosis can be given. Medical problems that could be causing the regurgitation must be ruled out before the diagnosis is appropriate.
Feeding Disorder
This disorder is diagnosed when, for at least one month, an infant or young child doesn't eat adequately to maintain a healthy weight. Again, medical problems that could cause the problem should be ruled out before the diagnosis is given. In many cases, this disorder has been identified as rooted in conflict or bonding difficulties with the primary caregiver.
References
- American Psychological Association; The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; 2000.
- Carolyn Costin; The Eating Disorders Sourcebook: A Comprehensive Guide to the Causes, Treatments and Prevention of Eating Disorders; 2006.
- James Hansell & Damour; Abnormal Psychology; 2005.
