How is Anorexia Different To Dieting?

The Differences Between a Diet and an Eating Disorder

Feb 6, 2010
Kate Le Page

Dieting Is Ineffective In The Long-term - marcin whichary

How does anorexia nervosa differ from a common diet, what similarities exist and what is the relationship between dieting and eating disorders?

Eating disorders are widely recognised as complex, mental health conditions which have a severe impact upon the sufferer's mental, physical, psychological health and well-being. As early diagnosis is one of the key factors associated with good recovery, It is important to understand the key differences as well as commonalities between such disorders and what may be considered "normal" dieting. Three main areas to be explored in this article are listed below.

Key commonalities of anorexia and dieting
Characteristics of a "normal" dieter
Characteristics of an anorexia sufferer

What do Anorexia and "Normal" Dieting have in Common?

It is clear that anorexia and normal dieting have several key factors in common with each other. For example, both have the goal of weight loss and some similar weight loss strategies or methods such as decreasing or restricting one's food intake in order to reach the goal of losing weight. In both dieting and anorexia exercise is utilised in combination with a decreased intake to promote quicker and more effective weight loss. A typical dieter may have educated themselves to the point where they have an extensive (even to the point of being obsessive) knowledge, much the same as an eating disorder sufferer, of fat grams, calories, sugar/salt content in each food item. Both are also more likely to spend a great deal of money on diet pills or herbal slimming enhancers than the general population.

Characteristics and Behaviours of a "Normal" Dieter

In order to help those supporting individuals affected by eating disorders learn to more easily distinguish between the two, the characteristics and behaviours of both normal dieting and anorexia will be examined. Unlike the anorexia sufferer a person engaging in regular dieting is more likely to openly discuss and state that they are dieting, more able to have a treat/break from dieting (for example at a birthday/wedding), enlist the support of others, be inconsistent as well as stop when they reach a goal weight. They are also fairly comfortable admitting to the difficulties they are experiencing in following the particular diet such as feelings of wanting to binge on a craved item of food or feeling deprived that everyone else is consuming a calorific dessert besides them.

Characteristics and Behaviours of an Anorexia Sufferer

In direct contrast to the normal dieter the anorexic is unlikely to ever admit they are dieting to lose weight, hiding weight loss through wearing loose fitting clothes or that they crave certain foods. Anorexia sufferers will go to extraordinary lengths to appear that everything is fine despite often feeling enormous anxiety, distress, distorted body image and a high degree of obsessiveness. Unlike normal dieters their rules are incredibly rigid and the target weight is decreased each time the goal weight has been attained. Another key aspect is that as time goes on the anorexic's social life may get extremely limited and lead to painful isolation as so many social occasions and activities often revolve around eating.