Eating Disorders and Food Phobias

Section 1: General Overview of Eating Disorders and Food Phobias

• Eating disorders and food phobias are disruptive conditions characterised by abnormal eating behaviours.
• Not just a consequence of food choice, they stem from a complex mix of socio-cultural, psychological, and biological factors.
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, can affect physical, mental, and social health.
• Food phobias such as Selective Eating Disorder (now known as ARFID – Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) and cibophobia (a fear of food) can result in limited diet and nutritional deficiencies.

Section 2: Specific Eating Disorders and Their Influence on Food

• Anorexia nervosa – People with this disorder view themselves as overweight even when dangerously underweight, and restrict food intake or use other methods to lose weight.
• Bulimia nervosa – Characterised by repeated binge eating episodes followed by behaviours to prevent weight gain, such as forced vomiting or excessive exercise.
• Binge eating disorder – People with this disorder frequently consume unusually large amounts of food, feel out of control during these episodes and experience intense feelings of distress afterwards.

Section 3: Specific Food Phobias and Their Influence on Food

• ARFID – Individuals with this disorder are not interested in eating; they avoid food with certain sensory characteristics, like colour or texture, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
• Cibophobia - Different from ARFID, those with cibophobia have a fear of food itself, often linked to a fear of food poisoning or choking, this can severely limit the variety and amount of food eaten.

Section 4: Socio-Cultural Influence on Eating Disorders and Food Phobias

• Culture and society play a significant role in shaping perceptions about body image and food, which can lead to the development or aggravation of these disorders and phobias.
• Western cultures’ idealisation of thinness and the stigma associated with obesity can contribute to eating disorders.
• Celebrity culture, social media and peer influence also are often implicated in creating pressure to maintain an ideal body image, which can influence the development of disordered eating behaviours.
• As all socio-cultural factors intersect, feeding and eating disorders, as well as food phobias can occur in any personregardless of their gender, age or ethnicity.