OSFED: The Scary New Eating Disorder You’ve Never Heard Of

Do you think obsessively about food? Are you concerned about your weight?  Does your life revolve around dieting? If so, you might be dealing with an eating disorder. About 45 percent of women are on a diet on any given day. More than 80 percent are dissatisfied with their weight. Some use food as a control mechanism, while others see it as an enemy. This kind of behavior may lead to eating disorders, such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating.

What Is OSFED?
Researchers have identified a new eating disorder that is extremely common among young people. OSFED encompasses characteristics of bulimia nervosa, atypical anorexia, purging disorder, binge eating, and night eating syndrome. Those who suffer from this condition display symptoms of various eating disorders.

For example, you might starve yourself for a week and binge on food the next week. Your weight will stay the same or increase, so you might not meet the criteria for anorexia nervosa. Someone who eats a normal size meal and throws it up afterwards does not qualify as a bulimic. These unhealthy eating behaviors may indicate OSFED.

Signs and Symptoms
In general, people suffering from OSFED have a poor body image and low confidence. Some engage in excessive exercise or throw up after eating to get rid of the extra calories. This disorder causes weight fluctuations, depression, feelings of guilt, nutritional deficiencies, and electrolyte imbalances. Over time, it may lead to heart failure, osteoporosis, muscle loss, poor sleep, and suicidal thoughts.

OSFED symptoms vary from one person to another. Even people with a normal body weight can suffer from this disorder and die from complications of purging. For this reason, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for recovering from OSFED. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, counseling, antidepressants, and self help books can reduce the obsessive, compulsive behaviors.