Anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia: what do we know about the pathologies behind eating disorders?

Eating disorders are serious psychiatric conditions with multifactorial causes: genetic, biological, sociocultural, according to scientific research.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a restriction of food intake, or sometimes a complete refusal to eat, for several months or even years, leading to significant weight loss.

People with anorexia nervosa may also resort to vomiting, laxatives, and diuretics.

The condition mainly affects adolescent girls aged 14 to 17 and affects between 0.9 and 1.5% of women, and 0.2 to 0.3% of men in this age group in France.

Often present, malnutrition can lead to serious problems, including heart, bone, and fertility problems. Anorexia nervosa is the most deadly psychiatric disorder, with a 10-year mortality rate of 5%.

Bulimia and binge eating disorder

Bulimia is characterized by the compulsive ingestion of large amounts of food in a relatively short period of time, at any time of the day or night. This uncontrolled crisis is usually followed by compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain (use of laxatives, diuretics, induced vomiting, fasting, excessive physical exercise).

Bulimia usually appears in adolescence and affects around 1.5% of 11-20 year-olds, including three times more girls than boys.

When binge eating is not accompanied by compensatory behavior, it is called binge eating disorder. It is usually accompanied by overweight or obesity and is therefore likely underestimated.

The condition is usually diagnosed in adulthood and affects 3 to 5% of the entire population. This makes it the most common eating disorder.

Still little-known, orthorexia is defined as an obsession with healthy eating. Sufferers adopt excessively strict diets, sometimes eliminating entire food categories.

Currently, there is no scientific consensus on orthorexia. The two most commonly held positions are to classify it either as an eating disorder (ED) or an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).