--- title: "Eating disorders: Symptoms & Treatment | HealthAnswers" description: "Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder — symptoms, health risks, and NHS treatment including talking therapies and specialist…" url: https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/eating-disorders/ robots: noindex --- # Eating disorders: Symptoms & Treatment | HealthAnswers Health A–Z Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder — symptoms, health risks, and NHS treatment including talking therapies and specialist services. Written by HealthAnswers editorial team Medically reviewed by [Dr Neil Singh MBChB - nMRCGP](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/neil-singh/) · GMC 7039648 Reviewed 28 June 2026 ## Quick answer What are eating disorders? Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions involving disturbed eating behaviours and distress about weight or shape — including anorexia (severe restriction), bulimia (binge-purge cycles), and binge eating disorder. They affect all ages and genders — not a choice or vanity. Physical complications include heart problems, osteoporosis, and electrolyte imbalance — can be fatal. GP referral to specialist eating disorder services — early treatment improves recovery. Seek urgent help for collapse, chest pain, or suicidal thoughts. ## Who is this page for? This page is for people in the UK who want a plain-English overview of Eating disorders, including when to seek help and what NHS care usually involves. It explains general information, not what is wrong with you personally. ## Who should skip this page? Skip this page if you need a diagnosis, a prescription, or emergency care. It cannot replace a GP, pharmacist, NHS 111 or 999. If you are in immediate danger, call 999; for urgent advice that is not life-threatening, call 111 in England, Scotland or Wales, or use your GP out-of-hours service in Northern Ireland. On this page 7 sections ## Key facts about eating disorders - About 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder — many undiagnosed. - Anorexia has the highest mortality of any psychiatric disorder — medical monitoring essential. - Bulimia involves binge eating followed by compensatory vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise. - Boys and men, LGBTQ+ people, and athletes also affected — not only teenage girls. - Full recovery possible with specialist treatment — early intervention improves outcomes. ## Eating disorders — not about food alone **Eating disorders (EDs)** are **serious mental illnesses** centred on **eating behaviours**, **weight**, and **shape** — with **profound physical consequences**. **~1.25 million UK** — **rising** — **all genders, ages, ethnicities** — **peak adolescence** but **adult onset common**. ## Main diagnoses ### Anorexia nervosa - energy restriction → low weight - intense weight fear - body image distortion - restricting or binge-purge subtype **Highest psychiatric mortality** — **starvation**, **suicide** ### Bulimia nervosa - recurrent binges - compensatory vomiting/laxatives/exercise - weight often normal — hidden ### Binge eating disorder (BED) - recurrent binges without regular compensation - distress , no anorexia-level restriction ### OSFED **Other specified** — **atypical but severe** — **equally treatable** ## Warning signs **Behavioural:** - skipping meals , rituals - food rules , calorie counting obsession - bathroom after meals (vomiting) - laxative/diuretic use - social withdrawal around food - excessive exercise — despite injury **Physical:** - weight loss or failure to grow (teens) - dizziness , syncope - cold hands , lanugo - amenorrhoea - ** dental erosion**, parotid swelling (bulimia) ## Medical risks | Mechanism | Complication | | --- | --- | | Starvation | Bradycardia , hypotension , osteoporosis | | Vomiting/laxatives | Hypokalaemia → arrhythmia , ** sudden death** | | Refeeding | Refeeding syndrome — phosphate drop — supervised renourishment | **ECG**, **U&Es**, ** phosphate**, **glucose** — **mandatory assessment** ## Treatment **Tier 4 inpatient** — **medically unstable** — **MARSIPAN guidelines** **Outpatient specialist ED service:** - medical monitoring - dietitian — structured meal plans - CBT-E — transdiagnostic evidence-based - FBT/Maudsley — adolescent anorexia — family empowers refeeding **Medication:** - SSRIs — bulimia , BED — limited anorexia evidence - not weight loss drugs ## Myths **“Just eat”** — **not willpower failure** — **complex biopsychosocial** **“Only thin people”** — **atypical anorexia** — **restrictive at normal weight** — **equally serious** **“Vanity”** — **genetic + psychological vulnerability** ## Getting help **Beat helpline** — **youthline** **GP** — **referral** — **don’t delay for lower weight** **Confidentiality** — **young people** — **GP navigates with safety** ## ! When to see a GP about eating disorders See a GP if you or someone you care about restricts food severely, vomits after meals, uses laxatives for weight control, binges regularly with distress, or is preoccupied with weight to the point of avoiding social eating. Urgent same-day if dizziness, chest pain, palpitations, fainting, blood in vomit, or suicidal ideation. Eating disorders need medical assessment of weight, bloods, and ECG — not diet advice alone. ## Common questions about eating disorders What are the signs of anorexia nervosa? Severe food restriction, low body weight or failure to gain expected weight in adolescents, intense fear of gaining weight, distorted body image, missing periods in women, excessive exercise, hiding food. Physical signs — dizziness, cold intolerance, fine body hair (lanugo), slow heart rate. What is bulimia nervosa? Recurrent binge eating — large amounts with sense of loss of control — followed by compensatory behaviours — self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, fasting, or over-exercise. Weight may be normal — hidden condition common. Russell sign — knuckle calluses from vomiting. How are eating disorders treated on the NHS? Specialist eating disorder teams — medical monitoring, dietetic support, CBT-E (enhanced CBT for eating disorders), family-based treatment for adolescents with anorexia, guided self-help for binge eating disorder. Hospital or day patient admission if medically unstable — very low weight, abnormal bloods, suicide risk. Can you recover from an eating disorder? Yes — full recovery possible though takes time — relapses can occur during stress. Early specialist treatment improves prognosis. Anorexia recovery often 1 to 5+ years — patience and multidisciplinary support essential. What physical complications can eating disorders cause? Heart arrhythmias and sudden death (electrolytes from vomiting), osteoporosis, fertility problems, dental erosion (bulimia), refeeding syndrome if renourishment too fast in severe malnutrition — requires medical supervision. ## Sources - [NHS — Eating disorders](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/behaviours/eating-disorders/overview/) - [NICE — Eating disorders recognition and treatment](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng69) - [Beat eating disorders](https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/)