What’s the Difference Between an Eating Disorder and Disordered Eating?

And, does it matter?

Short Answer: I like to think of it as eating disorder is on one end of the spectrum and disordered eating on the other end. The more severe a person’s behaviors are around food, body image and movement, the closer they are towards the eating disorder end.

What’s the Actual Definition of an Eating Disorder?

If you want to get specific about want constitutes an eating disorder, you must consult the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual that defines the various criterion for each specific disorder. Currently, the DSM recognizes the following as eating disorders: Pica; Rumination Disorder; Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder; Anorexia Nervosa; Bulimia Nervosa; Binge-Eating Disorder, Atypical Anorexia Nervosa; Bulimia Nervosa of Low Frequency and/or Limited Duration; Binge Eating Disorder of Low Frequency and/or Limited Duration; Purging Disorder; Night Eating Syndrome, and Unspecified Feeding or eating disorder.

Each of the listed types of eating disorders in the DSM have a list of criteria that one must meet to be diagnosed. These diagnoses are important for getting insurance to cover various treatment. For example, if you are hospitalized for Anorexia, your insurance company will only cover treatment if you meet criteria for Anorexia. If you are one symptom short, and therefore don’t meet the DSM’s diagnosis for Anorexia, your insurance company will not think your hospital stay was medically necessary.

So, when I think of eating disorders, I think of them as clinical and formal labels that help a person receive life affirming treatment.

What is Disordered Eating?

I define disordered eating as thoughts and behaviors that show you do not have a healthy relationship with food. This might mean you still live by arbitrary food rules such as, “I can’t eat unless I’m hungry”; “I have to wait until 12pm to eat lunch”; “I can eat dessert but only 3x/week.”

Obviously, this can show up in so many ways and with various severity levels. Typically, a person that has disordered eating also struggles with having a positive relationship with movement and with their body.

I find disordered eating is sneakier and harder to recognize. For example, you might have a food rule that you need to have fruit and veggies at every meal. A person can have a positive relationship with food and no disordered eating and prefer this- however, a different person can also engage in this behavior, but it comes from a very disordered place.

Does it Matter?

It seems that the term “eating disorder” is used to signify that a person’s relationship with food is so disruptive that is has interfered with their ability to live in the way they want. The term signifies a type of severity that means the person needs professional help from a doctor, a prescriber, a nutritionist, and a therapist. They can’t do it alone- the eating disorder just has too much power.

The term “disordered eating” is used more to demonstrate that a person has a daily struggle with food, but it hasn’t taken over their whole life. They still have significant issues that need to be addressed, but their health is not at an immediate risk, and they can still function in their lives, for the most part.

I want to stress again that this is really a spectrum. No one within the spectrum is deserving of more or less help and no one experience is more valid than another. I remember struggling with this with my own disordered eating. My thought was, “Well since I just have disordered eating, I guess it’s not bad enough to get help for.” If that’s how you interpreted what I wrote then hear this, and I’m speaking to YOU- Everyone who struggles with their body, with food, and with movement is worthy of help. Each experience is unique and valid. Pain doesn’t operate on a hierarchy- pain is pain.

Whether you have an eating disorder or disordered eating, you deserve help. Fill out my contact form and we can schedule a phone call to discuss how to get the help you need.