Disordered eating

Disordered eating describes a variety of abnormal eating behaviors that, by themselves, do not warrant diagnosis of an eating disorder.

Disordered eating includes behaviors that are common features of eating disorders, such as:

• Chronic restrained eating.
• Compulsive eating.
• Binge eating, with associated loss of control.
• Self-induced vomiting.

Disordered eating also includes behaviors that are not characteristic of a specific eating disorder, such as:

• Irregular, chaotic eating patterns.
• Ignoring physical feelings of hunger and satiety (fullness).
• Use of diet pills.
• Emotional eating.
• Night eating.
• Secretive food concocting: the consumption of embarrassing food combinations, such as mashed potatoes mixed with sandwich cookies. See also Food craving § Pregnancy and Nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder § Symptoms and behaviors.