Term 'eating disorder' refers to serious disruption of the eating habit or the appetite manifested as distorted body image. The main types are:

• Anorexia nervosa

• Bulimia nervosa

• Binge eating

In anorexia nervosa, the individual has:

• A distorted body image that leads him/her to see himself/herself as overweight.

• Often refusing to eat, exercising compulsively and developing unusual habits such as refusing to eat in front of others.

• Anorexic may loose large amounts of weight and even starve himself/herself to death.

In bulimia nervosa,

• The individual may eat excessive amounts of food, then purge his/her body of food by using medicines such as laxatives or diuretics or by vomiting.

• The person often feels disgusted and ashamed when She/he binges and is relieved of tension and negative emotions after purging.

In binge eating, there are frequent episodes of out-of-control eating.