How serious are OSFEDs compared to other EDs, such as “typical” anorexia and bulimia?
Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED) are categorized as such due to their symptoms being less frequent or not fully meeting the criteria for specific eating disorders such as what are known as threshold EDs Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder. Limited research has been conducted to date to compare the various seriousness and treatment outcome for those with OSFED but we do know that can be a serious conduction.
What can be some of the health complications associated with a person with OSFED?
There are numerous and varied health risks associated with OSFED, all of them based on maladaptive eating and exercise behaviors. We also see bodily damage from repetitive vomiting, such as swelling of the cheeks and jaw, tooth damage, bad breath and sometimes even fainting and dizziness. Almost 50% of patients with OSFED also suffer from a mood disorder.
What do the following conditions entail:
- Atypical anorexia nervosa: this phrase is used to describe individuals who have anorexia nervosa but whose weight has remained in the typical range or above.
- Night eating syndrome causes people to get up frequently in the night to eat so that they can go back to sleep
- Orthorexia describes a condition where people are obsessed with eating foods that they consider to be healthy
- Purging disorder: when individuals make themselves throw up in order to reduce their body, weight or shape
What are some prominent symptoms of OSFED?
There are a number of symptoms associated with OSFED such as quickly changing body weight, weight loss or gain and even absence of periods or change in menstrual cycle.
What is the typical treatment for OSFED?
Treatment for OSFED runs the gamut from self coping methods to psychotherapy, medications and even hospitalization.
