Purging Disorder

This section contains the following information about purging disorder;

What is Purging disorder?

People often hear about purging disorder and automatically associate it with bulimia nervosa. Purging disorder although first recognised 20 years ago, is an eating disorder not yet defined and still classed as an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS).

purging disorder is characterized in people of normal or below average weight by purging after eating. Purging methods include; vomiting, the use of laxatives to speed the passage of food through the digestive system so less of it is absorbed by the body and the use of diuretics to rid the body of water weight.

Purging disorder differs from bulimia nervosa because bulimics binge before purging. People with purging eating disorder do not binge. Bulimia sufferers sometimes fast and/or exercise excessively to compensate for their gross calorie intake, it has been researched that people with purging disorder do not do this either.

The disorder is similar to bulimia nervosa because both syndromes involve eating, then trying to compensate for the calories. The amount of food consumed and the way people compensate for what they eat is what sets the two apart. Women with purging disorder eat normal or even small amounts of food and then, people with bulimia have large, out of control binge eating episodes followed by purging. The psychological aspect of the two therefore differ slightly; purging disorder sufferers have some level of control over intake and can voluntarily stop eating, they are not as compelled with food as bulimics. Although like Bulimia their body image and lack of control in life may be what caused the disordered behaviour.

Purging disorder has a clear, two-part definition. A person with purging disorder:

 Purges food but does not binge eat; purging occurs after normal or small amounts of food.Maintains a normal or just below normal weight.

If there is binge eating at least twice a week in addition to these criteria, the person is instead diagnosed with bulimia nervosa. If the person purges but does not maintain a normal or near-normal weight, the diagnosis is likely anorexia nervosa, purging type instead.

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