The Disordered Eating-Eating Disorder Continuum
The Disordered Eating-Eating Disorder Continuum TW: Detailed discussion about eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors For some people, the meaning behind the term eating disorder feels distant and difficult to comprehend. For others, the term may bring up difficult feelings or feel deeply triggering. Research estimates that as many as three in four people have disordered eating behaviors. In fact, health, nutrition, and fitness coaches, though well-intended, may be unknowingly promoting problematic eating behaviors. For health, nutrition, and fitness coaches, learning about the signs and symptoms of eating disorders and identifying disordered eating behaviors are essential components of their knowledge toolbox. Learning about the disordered eating to eating disorder continuum not only helps coaches identify when a client may be exhibiting some of these behaviors but also helps to identify coaching practices that may be fueling disordered eating. This article provides readers with an overview of the differences between eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors. It also introduces the reader to the continuum of disordered eating, which allows coaches to understand how some behaviors can initially seem harmless but may progress toward more unhealthy eating behaviors. Finally, it provides coaches with basic information on how to spot disordered eating and support clients in seeking the support they need. Get Your Free Guide to Becoming a Holistic Nutritionist Learn about the important role of holistic nutritionists, what it takes to be successful as one, and how to build a lucrative, impactful career in nutrition. What Is an Eating Behavior? When talking about individuals, an eating behavior is how and what a person tends to eat (or avoid eating) in addition to the thoughts and feelings associated with that way of eating. An eating behavior is one element of overall health behaviors. Eating behaviors, like other health behaviors, result from a complex process of decisions, habits, mental state, social support, historical experiences with discrimination, access to healthcare, trauma, culture, economic access, and several others. Some examples of eating behaviors include: When a person eats How often a person eats The interval between meals and snacks What motivates a person to eat certain things Eating more or less of certain foods Combining foods or not How a person feels about certain foods or components in foods What a person eats at different times of day and year These are influenced by ideas, knowledge, tradition, and feelings associated with certain foods. Before moving forward, it is important to acknowledge that the experience of eating for humans is a complex one. For humans, food is about nourishment as much as it is about the experience of eating. Other reasons that humans eat and why, other than for nourishment, are for pleasure, time availability, resource availability, and ideas about what they should eat and why. Healthy and Problematic Eating Behaviors: Spotting the Difference What Are Healthy Eating Behaviors? A healthy eating behavior is one that helps to satisfy physiological needs (nutrients, water, energy) in addition to contributing positively to cultural, emotional, and social wellbeing. For example, a person with healthy eating behaviors can enjoy a chocolate chip cookie with a meal and feel good or neutral about honoring a craving without any repercussions on their self-image or planned activities for the day. Below are some examples of healthy eating behaviors: Healthy Eating Behaviors Eating a variety of foods Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full Knowing there are no “good” or “bad” foods Eating enough food to feel satisfied and meet the body’s needs Eating without undue guilt, anxiety, or other negative feelings Eating regularly most of the time (having a loose pattern of eating throughout the week) Eating treats, comfort foods, or fun foods occasionally without negatively affecting their self-image or emotions Disordered Eating or Eating Disorder? Definitions and Facts As a society, we tend to think about eating behaviors as two experiences on completely opposite, isolated poles; one pole is healthy eating behaviors, and on the other is unhealthy eating behaviors that include eating disorders. This idea is flawed in multiple ways, of which we will mention a few. First, it assumes that there is an objective eating pattern that looks similar for everyone. In other words, it assumes that there is one “right” way to eat. Second, it doesn’t consider the progressive nature of behaviors toward and away from eating disorders. Third, it doesn’t consider that there are multiple diagnosable eating disorders in addition to disordered eating behaviors that often fly under the radar. And lastly, it overlooks the overlap between seemingly healthy food choices fueled by deeply unhealthy and unsustainable thoughts. The Continuum of Disordered Eating Today’s society is one in which rates of chronic diseases rise yearly. Many of those chronic diseases can be prevented, in part, by lifestyle, including diet. Widely available information about how lifestyle contributes to health and disease compounded by unrealistic societal standards of beauty and attractiveness has made way for a growing fear of food and fatness. How does this affect eating behaviors? According to Temimah Zucker, Licensed Master Social Worker, Societal standards and pressures, as well as preoccupations with weight loss and exercise, may lead individuals to alter/manipulate their food intake. For many people, this “works.” It does not interfere with their lives; they are able to find food they’re comfortable with at any restaurant, and there is no desire to change. For others, this way of eating can be a precursor to a full-fledged eating disorder, and in many cases, it is hard to distinguish when an individual is struggling with disordered eating versus when an eating disorder is at play. People can engage in disordered eating behaviors to a lesser degree or with less frequency than is generally considered diagnosable as a full-fledged eating disorder. This often happens because many disordered eating behaviors are normalized and even seen as healthy. However, a person may progress from having disordered eating behaviors to developing an eating disorder if problematic behaviors are not identified early on. As Dr. Russel-Mayhew states,
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