Eating disorders are psychiatric conditions characterised by persistent disturbances in eating behaviour and in the cognitions and emotions surrounding food, body weight, and shape, with measurable harm to physical health and psychosocial functioning. The principal diagnoses include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa…
Eating disorders are psychiatric conditions characterised by persistent disturbances in eating behaviour and in the cognitions and emotions surrounding food, body weight, and shape, with measurable harm to physical health and psychosocial functioning. The principal diagnoses include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, together with night eating syndrome and other specified feeding or eating disorders. Their pathogenesis is multifactorial, integrating genetic predisposition, neurobiological and metabolic factors, dysfunctional attitudes and cognitive distortions, and sociocultural pressures, including the influence of social media on body image. In relation to obesity and weight management, binge-eating behaviours and night eating contribute to weight gain and complicate treatment, and disordered eating frequently coexists with depression, anxiety, and altered sleep architecture. Emerging presentations such as orthorexia nervosa, an obsessive preoccupation with healthy eating, illustrate the evolving boundaries of the field. Eating disorders carry serious medical sequelae spanning nutritional deficiency, electrolyte disturbance, gastrointestinal complications, and elevated mortality. Assessment combines clinical interview, behavioural and actigraphic monitoring, and evaluation of comorbid psychopathology. Evidence-based management is multidisciplinary, uniting nutritional rehabilitation, psychological therapies, and medical stabilisation. Recognising eating disorders as conditions at the intersection of mind, metabolism, and weight regulation is essential for effective prevention and care.
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