Types of eating disorders

Eating disorders are not all the same. Doctors name several types, based on what a person does with food and what they think and feel about it. The type matters because it shapes the kind of care that helps most.

No type is "mild," and no type is a choice. Each one can harm health and daily life, and each one can be treated. This page explains the main types in plain words. It does not replace a visit with a doctor, who is the only one who can diagnose.

How doctors group eating disorders

In the United States, doctors use a guidebook called the DSM-5-TR to name mental health conditions. It groups eating disorders into a few named types and one "other" group.³ These groups are not boxes. Many people have signs of more than one type, or move between them over the years.

Eating disorders often come with depression, anxiety or substance use. Treatment works best when it covers those too.¹ See depression and anxiety for more.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa involves a strong fear of gaining weight and a harsh view of one's own body. The person limits what they eat so much that the body does not get what it needs.^1,3 Some people also feel sure they are larger than they are. They may not see how ill they have become.¹

There are two patterns. In one, the person mostly restricts food. In the other, the person also has binge-eating and purging (trying to get rid of food after eating).³ People with anorexia may hide or play down their symptoms. That can delay care.³

Anorexia can lead to bone loss, heart damage and organ failure. It can be fatal.¹ It is the least common of the three best-known types, but it is among the most dangerous mental health conditions.^2,3 Learn more on the health effects page.

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is a cycle. A person has episodes of binge eating, which means eating a large amount while feeling out of control. Then they do something to make up for it, such as purging, to try to prevent weight gain.^1,3 Shame and secrecy often keep the cycle going.

To meet the usual medical definition, binges and the make-up behaviors happen at least once a week over a period of time.³ A person with bulimia can be thin, average in size or larger. That is why it is so often missed.^1,3

Over time, bulimia can cause a sore throat, swollen glands near the cheeks, worn tooth enamel, dehydration, and a loss of body salts (electrolytes) that the heart needs.¹

Binge-eating disorder

Binge-eating disorder (BED) means repeated binge episodes without the regular make-up behaviors of bulimia. During a binge, the person eats unusually fast or past the point of feeling full, often alone, and often feels upset or ashamed afterward.^1,3 The medical definition asks for binges about once a week for three months.³

BED is the most common eating disorder in the United States.^2,3 It affects people in larger bodies and smaller bodies. Dieting is often part of the story, and strict dieting can make binges worse.³ Health risks include type 2 diabetes, heart problems, sleep problems and stomach trouble.¹

ARFID

ARFID stands for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. A person with ARFID limits how much or what kinds of food they eat. But the reason is not a wish to change weight or shape.^1,3

Instead, the cause may be a very low appetite, a strong dislike of how food feels, smells or looks, or fear of choking or vomiting.^1,3 The list of foods the person will eat may grow shorter over time. ARFID can lead to poor nutrition, weight loss or slowed growth in children, and trouble at school, work or in relationships.^1,3

ARFID is not the same as normal picky eating in a toddler. It also does not include fasting for religious or cultural reasons, or going without food because food is not available.³ Many people think of ARFID as a childhood problem. Teens and adults can have it too.

OSFED: other specified feeding or eating disorder

OSFED is a group for people whose eating problems cause real distress or harm but do not fit one of the types above exactly.³ Often the reason is a small detail. A binge may happen less often than the usual definition asks. Or a person has all the signs of anorexia but is not in the low-weight range.^3,4

Common forms of OSFED include:⁴

• Atypical anorexia: all the features of anorexia, but the person's weight is not low for their body.
• Bulimia or binge-eating disorder, less often or for a shorter time: the same pattern, but with fewer episodes or fewer months.
• Purging disorder: repeated purging without binge episodes.
• Night eating syndrome: repeated eating in the evening or after waking in the night.

Do not let the word "other" fool you. People with OSFED can be just as ill as people with the other types, and they face the same medical risks.^3,4 Some are told they are "not sick enough" to need help. That is wrong.⁴ If the struggle is real for you, it counts.

Pica and rumination disorder

These two are less well known. They are in the same family of conditions in the DSM-5-TR.³

Pica means repeatedly eating things that are not food, such as dirt, paper or paint chips, for at least a month. It happens more in young children, but adults and pregnant people can have it too.^3,5 Low iron or zinc may play a part.⁵ The main dangers are blockage in the gut, infection and poisoning, such as lead poisoning.⁵ Care starts with checking for missing nutrients and other medical problems.⁵ Pica also occurs more often in people with autism or an intellectual disability.³

Rumination disorder means repeatedly bringing food back up into the mouth after swallowing, then chewing it again, swallowing it or spitting it out. It happens often over at least a month and is not caused by a stomach illness.³ It can start in infancy, childhood or adulthood.³ Because stomach problems can look similar, a doctor needs to rule those out first.

Who gets eating disorders?

Anyone can. They most often begin in the teen years or early adult years, but they can start in childhood or later in life.³ In one large U.S. survey, the average starting age was about 18 for anorexia and bulimia and about 21 for binge-eating disorder.²

Women and girls are diagnosed more often, but men and boys are affected too. In that survey, about 9 in 1,000 women and 3 in 1,000 men had anorexia at some point in life.² Men may be missed because many people think eating disorders only happen to women.

These numbers come from surveys done in 2001 to 2004, and newer figures may be higher. Many people never get treatment. Only about one-third to just under half of adults with these three disorders had ever been treated for their eating problem.²

Eating disorders do not stop at midlife. See eating disorders in midlife and later life.

How are the types treated?

Care depends on the type, the person's age and how their health is. Most plans use talk therapy, medical checkups and help with eating.¹ A team may include a doctor, a therapist and a dietitian (a food and nutrition expert). For anorexia and ARFID, no medicine is approved by the FDA.¹ The UK's NICE guideline covers anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder for both children and adults.⁶

Our treatment page explains the levels of care, talk therapies and medicines in detail.

Why the type is not the whole story

A diagnosis helps a care team choose a plan. It does not measure how much someone suffers. Someone with OSFED may need urgent care. Someone with a long-standing diagnosis may be doing well.

Do not compare yourself or a loved one to a list. Look at the signs on the signs page, and learn what causes and risk factors are involved.

When to get help

• Talk with a doctor if food, eating or your body takes up much of your thinking, or if eating habits are hurting your health, mood or relationships. A family doctor is a good first stop.
• Call the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline at (866) 662-1235, free, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time (as of October 2026). It is staffed by licensed therapists who know eating disorders. It also helps family members.⁷ The former NEDA helpline number now reaches this line.⁷
• Call or text 988 any time you or someone you love has thoughts of suicide or self-harm. It is free and open 24 hours a day.
• Call 911 for fainting, chest pain, a very slow or irregular heartbeat, confusion, or any emergency.

If you are worried about someone else, read helping someone with an eating disorder. You can also visit our help page.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.