com is for educational purposes only. The information on this site should not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with a medical professional if you are seeking medical advice, a diagnosis or any treatment solutions.

com is not liable for any issues associated with acting upon any information on this site. Calls to this number are answered by Within Health, a virtual eating disorder treatment provider.

There is no obligation or cost to call this number and all calls are private and confidential. Additional eating disorder treatment providers can be found at samhsa. Skip to content On top of these qualities, the eating disorder itself can cause additional complications, including malnutrition and the worsening of eating disorder symptoms or other related conditions, like anxiety or depression.

Developing eating disorders take a toll on both physical and mental health. Abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure Reduced bone density Muscle loss and weakness Severe dehydration, which can cause kidney failure Issues with fainting and severe fatigue Dry hair and skin, which can often cause hair loss Growth of a downy layer of hair called lanugo , which is a sort of defense mechanism the human body can engage in to try to keep the body warm.

Electrolyte imbalances that can cause an irregular heartbeat and potentially fatal heart failure Gastric rupture as a result of binging Inflammation and possible rupture of the esophagus as a result of binging Tooth decay and staining Irregular bowel movements or constipation due to laxative abuse Peptic ulcers Pancreatitis.

Some common long-term symptoms of BED include: [1, 2] High blood pressure High cholesterol levels Heart disease Type II diabetes Gallbladder disease. Learn More. Resources Warning Signs and Symptoms. National Eating Disorders Association.

Retrieved December 4, Health Consequences of Eating Disorders. Eating Disorder Statistics. South Carolina Department of Mental Health. Medical Disclaimer. Learn About Our Practices. They may also need to follow up with a doctor and have ongoing mental health support to prevent relapse.

People with a history of eating disorders who begin experiencing relapse symptoms need to seek prompt care. Eating disorders can severely affect the quality of life of people living with these conditions and those close to them. Early intervention and treatment greatly improve the likelihood of recovery.

Anyone who suspects they or a loved one may have an eating disorder can contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders , which offers a daytime helpline staffed by licensed therapists and an online search tool for treatment options.

For general mental health support at any time, people can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24 hours a day at or for TTY. Anorexia nervosa is the mental health diagnosis with the highest death rate.

Treatment can help a person recover and attain health. It usually involves support from a team of healthcare specialists, including cardiologists, dietitians, and endocrinologists. With the right treatment, a person may reduce or eliminate long-term complications and lead a healthy and fulfilling life.

Talking with someone with an eating disorder can be challenging. Knowing what to say to a person with anorexia can support them to get help, ensure…. Although there is limited research on the topic, evidence indicates that autistic people are more likely to develop anorexia. Learn more. Body dysmorphia plays a key role in anorexia and other eating disorders.

People may be afraid of gaining weight and believe that their body is larger…. Anorexia nervosa restricting type is a subtype of this eating disorder that involves restricting food intake but not engaging in overeating or purging.

Anorexia athletica is a subtype of anorexia that causes excessive exercise and dieting in the context of a sport. It is particularly prevalent in…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. What are some of the long-term effects of anorexia? Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Endocrine issues Malnourishment Organ health Digestive issues Relationships Quality of life Treatment Summary Anorexia can affect nearly every organ and body system.

Endocrine issues. Organ health. Digestive health. Effect on relationships. Women who experience bulimia may have lower than average bone density, particularly if they experienced amenorrhea and higher calcium deficiency during the disorder. Improved nutrition after bulimia can improve bone health, but women are still at increased risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis later in life.

Women with bulimia are at risk for infrequent menstrual periods, known as oligomenorrhea, due to poor nutrition. This can affect fertility. It may take some time, but after recovering from bulimia, women will begin to see their menstrual cycle return to normal and they can conceive.

Other long-term effects of bulimia can include dental problems, high cholesterol, and damage to the esophagus. Because relapse is common among people with bulimia, the more informed people you have on your medical team, the better your long-term health will be.

If you are currently struggling with bulimia, help is available. Recovery includes a combination of medical attention and nutritional planning to counter the effects of poor nutrition and purging.

Mental health treatment is also vital component, to address potential co-occurring illness like depression or anxiety and to help a person identify and challenge negative thought patterns and environmental influences that contributed to the eating disorder behaviors. Many people successfully recover from bulimia and go on to live full and healthy lives.

Updated Nov 25,

It can take over and cause a number of devastating side effects short and long-term. While there are both short and long term side effects associated with anorexia, this section will include some general side effects that can occur in both the short and long term:. In this section, I will outline short term side effects of anorexia.

These include:. If you or a loved one are experiencing some of the above short term side effects of anorexia, I urge you to reach out. Seeking anorexia treatment early on will increase your chances of recovery and will lower your risk of more serious side effects we will discuss in the next section.

In this section, I will identify long term effects of anorexia. A person with untreated anorexia may experience serious health side effects such as:. If you or a loved one are experiencing some of the above long term side effects of anorexia, I urge you to reach out immediately.

Anorexia is life threatening and I urge you to seek proper treatment to overcome this deadly eating disorder. If you or a loved one suffer from anorexia, it may seem like a hopeless journey full of pain and disappointments.

There is hope! Amy Boyers, a Clinical Psychologist in Miami who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders all types and other serious, long-term mental health conditions, including addictions, bipolar disorder treatment , and OCD.

I offer personalized and sophisticated eating disorder treatment services, individual and family psychotherapy, family member support and education, in-home meal support, coordination of a treatment service, and much more.

Your email address will not be published. Anorexia Nervosa Treatment. Anorexia Refeeding. Bulimia Nervosa Treatment. Pica Treatment. Rumination Treatment. Generalized Anxiety Treatment. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment. Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Treatment.

Postpartum Depression Treatment. While the unhealthy eating habits may start voluntarily, certain, maladaptive eating patterns begin take on a life of their own and can be difficult to control. As a result, eating disorders typically require psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, and other specialized, evidence-based treatments.

Many people do not recognize eating disorders as mental health conditions, and therefore do not always recognize the psychological impact that eating disorders can have. Eating disorders often occur together with other psychiatric illnesses, such as clinical depression, anxiety and personality disorders, and substance abuse.

Eating disorders can lead a person towards substance use, and may also give way to addiction. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse cites that individuals with an eating disorder are up to five times more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than the general population.

There are multiple reasons for this:. As mental health issues, both types of disorders stem from the same areas of the brain — our reward centers. The behaviors, while temporary, become habit-forming. To feel happy or to find relief, a person will continue those negative behaviors to feel the same pleasurable effects e.

getting high, feeling thin, binge eating. But relief created by stimulation from food, drugs, or alcohol is brief and only creates greater risk for dependency and addiction-forming habits.

Recovery is possible for people battling eating disorders. If you or a loved one is battling an eating disorder, especially in co-occurrence with a substance use issue, do not hesitate to get professional help. You deserve a treatment facility that understands the behavioral, emotional, and physical implications of eating disorders today.

The right treatment can help your loved one stop harmful behaviors, stay at a healthy weight, learn good nutritional habits, develop a balanced relationship with food, overcome her negative thoughts, and learn to accept her body fully.

Learn about the eating disorder treatment program at Turnbridge by calling or visiting us online. Skip to content.

Body: Physical Effects of Eating Disorders Eating disorders can lead to an array of physical effects, both minor and severe. Other long-term, physical effects of eating disorders can include: Heart Problems — Eating disorders can severely impact your cardiovascular health, with the most detrimental being anorexia nervosa.

When the body does not get enough calories, it will start to break down its own muscles and tissue for fuel. The most important muscle in the body is the heart.

When it does not get enough fuel to pump blood, or when it starts to break down, the risk for heart failure increases. Bulimia may also result in heart failure, as vomiting depletes the body of vital minerals and electrolytes, like potassium which the heart needs to function.

Dehydration and Malnutrition — Restricting your diet, or purging out important nutrients, can cause severe deficiencies in your body.

A normal resting rate can range anywhere from 60 to beats per minute. When the flow of blood is reduced and blood pressure drops to a dangerous rate, the heart becomes weaker and shrinks to a smaller size.

One of the primary dangers to the heart stems from a lack of balance of necessary minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate. These minerals normally dissolve in body fluids. But with the dehydration and starvation that happens during this eating disorder, the reduction of fluids and mineral levels creates a condition called Electrolyte Imbalance.

Some electrolytes, like calcium and potassium, are essential for producing the electrical currents the body needs to maintain a normal heartbeat. Heart complications are a greater risk when anorexia is compounded by behaviors associated with bulimia and the use of ipecac, a drug that induces vomiting.

One of the top long-term health risks of anorexia has to do with our bones. Nearly 90 percent of women with anorexia experience a condition known as Osteopenia, which translates to a loss of bone calcium.

Up to 40 percent of the people that suffer from anorexia may also face Osteoporosis, which means an advanced loss of bone density.

More than two-thirds of children and adolescent girls with anorexia do not develop strong bones during their critical growing period. Boys with anorexia also frequently suffer from stunted growth.

The less a patient weighs, the more severe the bone loss will be. This is one of the most irreversible complications of the disease.

Women with anorexia who also binge-purge experience an even higher risk for bone loss. For women, this bone loss is primarily due to a drop in estrogen levels that occurs with anorexia.

Other biological factors may contribute to bone loss. These may include high levels of stress hormones. This limits bone growth. Other contributing factors are low calcium levels and DHEA hormones, or dehydroepiandrosterone.

Unfortunately, weight restoration does not completely restore bone development. For females, a rapid return to regular menstruation cycles is the key to preventing permanent bone loss. The longer that anorexia persists the more likely the bone loss will be permanent.

In boys, testosterone levels become lower as they lose weight, and this also affects bone density. Boys with anorexia may also suffer from stunted growth because of this. Weight restoration may produce some growth, but it may not produce the full growth that would normally occur.

In severe cases, the long-term health risks of anorexia may result in suffering nerve damage that affects the brain and other parts of the body. As a result, these nervous system conditions can include:. Brain scans of people with anorexia reveal that the brain goes through structural changes or abnormal activity during the disease.

Some of these abnormalities may discontinue weight restoration, but some of the damage to the brain can be permanent. Due to starvation, one of the most common conditions related to anorexia is anemia.

A major blood problem is created by dangerously low levels of vitamin B When anorexia becomes extreme, the bone marrow dramatically drops the production of blood cells. The condition is known as Pancytopenia, and it too can be life-threatening.

Anorexia puts incredible stress on the digestive system. Many drugs can play a role in shaping the eating habits of the people taking them. The loss of appetite associated with certain chemotherapeutic agents is well known.

Certain other drugs have the potential to radically alter the chemistry of the brain and so induce negative emotional states.

A good example is depression caused by chronically low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which may manifest as an eating disorder. Worried about your eating behaviors? Discover if you need help with a Do I Have An Eating Disorder Quiz.

Find Out More. Sometimes, as discussed above, the cause of mood imbalances may be as straightforward as a chemical imbalance in the brain. Other cases have no such obvious origins but may be amenable to standard treatment using drugs and cognitive behavioral therapy CBT. The signs of a mood disorder , sometimes known as affective disorder, according to Ohio State University are:.

The emotional symptoms of an eating disorder are as varied as the causes, and they can sometimes have consequences that are as serious as the underlying disorder from which they spring. The physical symptoms of an eating disorder range from severe weight loss to equally severe weight gain.

Bad breath and decayed teeth are indicative of bulimia, while a sallow complexion and drawn features are typical indicators of the malnourishment caused by anorexia. There are many potential short-term and long-term effects of an eating disorder.

The short-term effects of an eating disorder can include:. Long-term effects of an eating disorder can set in early on and persist until years after the behavior is brought under control.

These include:. If you believe you might have an eating disorder, your health may be in jeopardy. Please call without delay for a referral to qualified professionals in your area who can diagnose and treat eating disorders. If you are concerned about your food intake beyond a level that seems reasonable, this might be a sign that you have developed an unhealthy relationship with food.

Given the gravity of the conditions involved, there really is no downside to seeking professional advice on the matter. Since people with addiction-type disorders often have trouble assessing themselves objectively, it is usually considered best to leave the official diagnosis up to an expert medical practitioner who is familiar with such disorders.

Antidepressants are often indicated to control the negative emotional impact of eating disorders. Additionally, your physician may prescribe certain urge-controlling agents as part of a comprehensive strategy to limit the effect that eating disorders can have on decision-making abilities. According to a pilot study conducted by the American Psychological Association, Prozac show signs of being useful in managing depression associated with eating disorders as well as the disorders themselves.

Any agent prescribed by a doctor — and more than a few drugs that are available over the counter — carries a risk of side effects. Other long-term effects of bulimia can include dental problems, high cholesterol, and damage to the esophagus.

Because relapse is common among people with bulimia, the more informed people you have on your medical team, the better your long-term health will be.

If you are currently struggling with bulimia, help is available. Recovery includes a combination of medical attention and nutritional planning to counter the effects of poor nutrition and purging.

Mental health treatment is also vital component, to address potential co-occurring illness like depression or anxiety and to help a person identify and challenge negative thought patterns and environmental influences that contributed to the eating disorder behaviors.

Many people successfully recover from bulimia and go on to live full and healthy lives. Updated Nov 25, By Kathleen Smith, PhD, LPC. Short-Term Effects. Long-Term Effects. Talking to your Doctor. This article was originally published January 23, and most recently updated November 25,

Binge-eating disorder is a condition where people lose control of their eating and have reoccurring episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food. Unlike bulimia nervosa, periods of binge eating are not followed by purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. As a result, people with binge-eating disorder are often overweight or obese.

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder ARFID , previously known as selective eating disorder, is a condition where people limit the amount or type of food eaten.

Unlike anorexia nervosa, people with ARFID do not have a distorted body image or extreme fear of gaining weight. ARFID is most common in middle childhood and usually has an earlier onset than other eating disorders. Many children go through phases of picky eating, but a child with ARFID does not eat enough calories to grow and develop properly, and an adult with ARFID does not eat enough calories to maintain basic body function.

Eating disorders can be treated successfully. Early detection and treatment are important for a full recovery. People with eating disorders are at higher risk for suicide and medical complications.

Family members can encourage the person with eating or body image issues to seek help. They also can provide support during treatment and can be a great ally to both the individual and the health care provider. Research suggests that incorporating the family into treatment for eating disorders can improve treatment outcomes, particularly for adolescents.

Treatment plans for eating disorders include psychotherapy, medical care and monitoring, nutritional counseling, medications, or a combination of these approaches. Typical treatment goals include:. People with eating disorders also may have other mental disorders such as depression or anxiety or problems with substance use.

For general information about psychotherapies, visit the National Institute of Mental Health NIMH psychotherapies webpage. Research also suggests that medications may help treat some eating disorders and co-occurring anxiety or depression related to eating disorders.

Information about medications changes frequently, so talk to your health care provider. Visit the U. Food and Drug Administration FDA website for the latest warnings, patient medication guides, and FDA-approved medications.

If you're unsure where to get help, your health care provider is a good place to start. Your health care provider can refer you to a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, who has experience treating eating disorders.

You can learn more about getting help and finding a health care provider on NIMH's Help for Mental Illnesses webpage. If you need help identifying a provider in your area, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline at HELP For additional resources, visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website.

NIMH supports a wide range of research, including clinical trials that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions, including eating disorders. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be better helped in the future.

Researchers at NIMH and around the country conduct clinical trials with patients and healthy volunteers. Talk to your health care provider about clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you. For more information about clinical research and how to find clinical trials being conducted around the country, visit NIMH's clinical trials webpage.

The information in this publication is in the public domain and may be reused or copied without permission. However, you may not reuse or copy images.

Please cite the National Institute of Mental Health as the source. Read our copyright policy to learn more about our guidelines for reusing NIMH content.

MedlinePlus National Library of Medicine en español ClinicalTrials. gov en español. Celebrating 75 Years! Statistics NIMH statistics pages include statistics on the prevalence, treatment, and costs of mental illness for the population of the United States. Brochures and Fact Sheets Download, read, and order free NIMH brochures and fact sheets about mental disorders and related topics.

Help for Mental Illnesses If you or someone you know has a mental illness, there are ways to get help. Clinical Trials If you or a friend or family member are thinking about taking part in clinical research, this page contains basic information about clinical trials.

Stakeholder Engagement Find out how NIMH engages a range of stakeholder organizations as part of its efforts to ensure the greatest public health impact of the research we support. But unlike those with BN , people with BED do not participate in compensatory behavior, which can lead to entirely other types of long-term consequences.

For many people, the journey toward recovery starts with therapy. Speaking with a trained professional can help you not only change your unhelpful behaviors but the unhelpful thoughts that may be driving them.

Still, others who are deeper in the throes of their condition may need to start their treatment with a more intensive or regimented program. A stay at an inpatient treatment facility or participation in a partial hospitalization program offers good solutions for people whose behaviors or thoughts are further out of their control or who may need more thorough medical care to address physical symptoms.

Partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs can be done virtually from wherever you are. Within Health offers online treatment that allows you to access a team of professionals from the comfort of your home.

Regardless of the level of care someone receives, they are likely to address more than just their disordered eating behavior while in treatment. Often, the therapy involved is designed to help with related issues, such as issues with self-esteem and body image.

Co-occurring disorders , such as depression and anxiety, can also be effectively treated in this setting. In some cases, an individual may be experiencing such severe medical complications that they need to go to the hospital, potentially against their will, to be administered the nutrients they need to survive and help their body recover.

This is often a medical emergency, and prompt care is needed. Even once a person has been medically stabilized, there will likely be additional physical symptoms that need to be addressed. For example, cavities that may have developed due to purging will still require dental work to fix.

And some types of organ damage can be permanent, although often, a person will be able to at least significantly recover from these incidents, if not heal completely.

Regardless, in these cases, and in any case, prompt care is crucial to mitigate the long-term damage of eating disorders. An estimated 8 million Americans alone struggle with eating disorders. And unfortunately, relapse is also common in this class of illness. Even if a person is in recovery and no longer in regular outpatient treatment, they can still likely benefit from regular individual therapy or support group sessions.

This can be very helpful for catching any backsliding into disordered behavior, allowing the person the opportunity to work on or change aspects of their lifestyle before they fall further into a full-blown relapse.

Long-term management often involves regular therapy, self-care, and support from others. For women, this bone loss is primarily due to a drop in estrogen levels that occurs with anorexia.

Other biological factors may contribute to bone loss. These may include high levels of stress hormones. This limits bone growth. Other contributing factors are low calcium levels and DHEA hormones, or dehydroepiandrosterone. Unfortunately, weight restoration does not completely restore bone development.

For females, a rapid return to regular menstruation cycles is the key to preventing permanent bone loss. The longer that anorexia persists the more likely the bone loss will be permanent. In boys, testosterone levels become lower as they lose weight, and this also affects bone density.

Boys with anorexia may also suffer from stunted growth because of this. Weight restoration may produce some growth, but it may not produce the full growth that would normally occur. In severe cases, the long-term health risks of anorexia may result in suffering nerve damage that affects the brain and other parts of the body.

As a result, these nervous system conditions can include:. Brain scans of people with anorexia reveal that the brain goes through structural changes or abnormal activity during the disease.

Some of these abnormalities may discontinue weight restoration, but some of the damage to the brain can be permanent. Due to starvation, one of the most common conditions related to anorexia is anemia.

A major blood problem is created by dangerously low levels of vitamin B When anorexia becomes extreme, the bone marrow dramatically drops the production of blood cells. The condition is known as Pancytopenia, and it too can be life-threatening.

Anorexia puts incredible stress on the digestive system. Stomach bloating and constipation are very common among people with anorexia.

Because anorexia often pairs with bulimic behaviors, the purging, or vomiting this involves can expose the digestive system to excess stomach acid and lead to conditions such as reflux esophagitis. The first major indications of organ failure are often high blood levels of liver enzymes.

To reverse this requires an immediate intake of calories. The hormonal changes that come with anorexia can have severe health consequences. For women, reproductive hormone levels are significantly lower. Stress hormones may increase, but thyroid levels usually drop.

After treatment and weight restoration, estrogen levels may return to normal and period cycles can resume. However, in some extreme cases, even after treatment, normal menstruation cycles never return.

If a woman with anorexia becomes pregnant before weight restoration, she has a higher risk for a miscarriage, a cesarean section delivery, and a baby with a low birth weight or birth defects.

Women with anorexia also have greater odds of experiencing postpartum depression. Because of the impact on the reproductive system, women with anorexia who attempt fertility treatments generally have lower chances for success. Diabulimia , a disorder in which clients deliberately forgo or reduce their daily doses of insulin to reduce their weight, is particularly dangerous.

Very high blood sugar levels may cause diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that causes ketones, or acidic chemicals, to accumulate in the body. This condition can produce comas or death.

These include:. If you believe you might have an eating disorder, your health may be in jeopardy. Please call without delay for a referral to qualified professionals in your area who can diagnose and treat eating disorders.

If you are concerned about your food intake beyond a level that seems reasonable, this might be a sign that you have developed an unhealthy relationship with food. Given the gravity of the conditions involved, there really is no downside to seeking professional advice on the matter.

Since people with addiction-type disorders often have trouble assessing themselves objectively, it is usually considered best to leave the official diagnosis up to an expert medical practitioner who is familiar with such disorders.

Antidepressants are often indicated to control the negative emotional impact of eating disorders. Additionally, your physician may prescribe certain urge-controlling agents as part of a comprehensive strategy to limit the effect that eating disorders can have on decision-making abilities.

According to a pilot study conducted by the American Psychological Association, Prozac show signs of being useful in managing depression associated with eating disorders as well as the disorders themselves.

Any agent prescribed by a doctor — and more than a few drugs that are available over the counter — carries a risk of side effects. Eating disorders, being primarily addictive behaviors, are, unsurprisingly, correlated with drug or alcohol dependence.

This could be because the underlying dysfunction gives rise to both ailments, or it could be that the drug use began as part of an ill-advised attempt to regulate the eating disorder.

Some food-related issues arise as a consequence of substance abuse, but these are generally not considered eating disorders as such. The symptoms of dependence and withdrawal from an eating disorder mirror closely the symptoms of other addictions. According to a paper put out by Indiana University, symptoms of withdrawal will typically include irritability, cravings and general restlessness.

The grim subject of a medication overdose is not a trivial matter. Just about any drug, when taken in doses greater than those prescribed by a doctor, has the potential to injure or even kill the person who has overdosed.

If you, or another person, think you may be the victim of a drug overdose seek medical attention immediately. Depression and eating disorders often occur together in the same individual. Sometimes the depression is caused or exacerbated by the negative health and social consequences of the eating disorder.

Sometimes the eating disorder is triggered as the result of an attempt by the patient to use abnormal eating habits to essentially self-medicate by way of food intake. Identify areas to work on to manage your depression with a depression quiz.

Victims of eating disorders often display many of the same traits that have been observed in substance abusers. This is the working definition of an addictive disorder. These secondary issues may be treated in the standard manner with an initial period of detoxification followed by CBT.

Some insurance providers cover eating disorder treatment. getting high, feeling thin, binge eating. But relief created by stimulation from food, drugs, or alcohol is brief and only creates greater risk for dependency and addiction-forming habits.

Recovery is possible for people battling eating disorders. If you or a loved one is battling an eating disorder, especially in co-occurrence with a substance use issue, do not hesitate to get professional help. You deserve a treatment facility that understands the behavioral, emotional, and physical implications of eating disorders today.

The right treatment can help your loved one stop harmful behaviors, stay at a healthy weight, learn good nutritional habits, develop a balanced relationship with food, overcome her negative thoughts, and learn to accept her body fully.

Learn about the eating disorder treatment program at Turnbridge by calling or visiting us online. Skip to content. Body: Physical Effects of Eating Disorders Eating disorders can lead to an array of physical effects, both minor and severe.

Other long-term, physical effects of eating disorders can include: Heart Problems — Eating disorders can severely impact your cardiovascular health, with the most detrimental being anorexia nervosa. When the body does not get enough calories, it will start to break down its own muscles and tissue for fuel.

The most important muscle in the body is the heart. When it does not get enough fuel to pump blood, or when it starts to break down, the risk for heart failure increases.

Bulimia may also result in heart failure, as vomiting depletes the body of vital minerals and electrolytes, like potassium which the heart needs to function. Dehydration and Malnutrition — Restricting your diet, or purging out important nutrients, can cause severe deficiencies in your body.

Dehydration typically means that your body is not getting enough fluids to properly work — this can cause kidney failure, seizures, fatigue, constipation and muscle cramps.

Eating disorders affect people of all genders, ages, classes, abilities, races and ethnic backgrounds. These complex disorders are serious, biologically influenced illnesses — not personal choices. Recovery from an eating disorder is possible.

What can the helpline do for me? With the support of corporate and community partners, NEDIC provides professional development workshops as well as targeted educational workshops for children and youth through our community education program.

Outreach and education programming is available online and in the Greater Toronto Area. NEDIC focuses on awareness and the prevention of eating disorders, food and weight preoccupation, and disordered eating by promoting critical thinking skills.

Additional programs include a biennial conference and free online curricula for young people in grades 4 through 8. The NEDIC Bulletin is published five times a year, featuring articles from professionals and researchers of diverse backgrounds.

current Issue.