Eating disorders
An eating disorder is a psychological compulsion to eat or avoid eating that has a negative impact on both physical and mental health. Eating disorders can be all encompassing affecting every part of the person's life.
The two main eating disorders in psychiatry are Anorexia nervosa and Bulimia nervosa. About 1 in 250 females and 1 in 2000 males will experience anorexia nervosa, generally in adolescence or young adulthood. About five times that number will suffer from bulimia nervosa [1]. The table below shows the eating disorder diagnoses and codes according to ICD.
|
Eating disorders |
|
|
| F50.0 |
Anorexia nervosa
|
| F50.1 |
Atypical anorexia nervosa |
| F50.2 |
Bulimia nervosa |
| F50.3 |
Atypical bulimia nervosa |
| F50.4 |
Overeating associated with other psychological disturbances |
| F50.5 |
Vomiting associated with other psychological disturbances |
| F50.8 |
Other eating disorders |
| F50.9 |
Eating disorder, unspecified |
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
| |
Deliberate weight loss (sustained below 15% expected or below 17.5 kg/m2)
| |
Disturbances of body electrolytes and physical complications
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| |
Secondary endocrine and metabolic changes and disturbances of bodily function
| |
History of an earlier episode of anorexia nervosa
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| |
Under nutrition of varying severity
| |
An excessive preoccupation with the control of body weight
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| |
Dread of fatness and flabbiness of body contour
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Repeated bouts of overeating
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| |
Self imposed a low weight threshold
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Pattern of overeating (binge) followed by vomiting or use of purgatives (purge)
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Restricted dietary choice
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Induced vomiting and purgation
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Use of appetite suppressants and diuretics
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Excessive exercise
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To learn how to make a diagnosis of Anorexia nervosa or Bulimia nervosa according to ICD click on the links above.
1. NICE, CG9 Eating disorders: full guideline, 28 January 2004
