It can be hard to detect signs of an eating disorder in a young person, as they may try to hide, disguise or deny their behaviour. Some may not even realise that there is anything wrong. Young people with any body type can experience eating disorders. Eating disorders don't always affect body weight.

Recognising the signs of an eating disorder is very important, as the earlier a problem is detected and treated, the better the outcomes for a young person. Here are some things to look out for in a young person who may be developing, or experiencing, an eating disorder:

Physical changes:

• rapid weight loss or fluctuating weight changes

• signs of tiredness and poor sleep

• lethargy and low energy

• fainting or dizziness

• feeling cold most of the time, even in warm weather

• signs of damage due to vomiting (swelling around the cheeks or jaw, calluses on knuckles, damage to teeth and bad breath)

• loss or disturbance of menstruation in females and decreased libido in men.

Psychological changes:

• preoccupation with eating, food, body shape and weight

• signs of anxiety or irritability around meal times (e.g., avoidance of meals or wanting to eat alone)

• behaviours indicating a sense of lack of control around food (e.g., eating high quantities of food in a short period of time)

• rigid thoughts around particular foods being ‘bad’ or ‘good’

• poor or distorted body image (e.g., negative self-talk about body)

• intense fear of weight gain.

Behavioural changes:

• dieting behaviour (e.g., fasting, skipping meals, counting calories, avoiding specific food groups such as fats or carbohydrates)

• eating in private and avoiding places involving food

• evidence of binge eating (e.g., disappearance and/or hoarding of food)

• frequent trips to the bathroom during and/or after meals

• evidence of using diet pills or using other medication to influence weight or appetite

• changes in clothing styles (baggy clothes that hide weight loss)

• compulsive or excessive exercise (e.g., exercising in bad weather or at odd hours, exercising despite sickness or injury, and excessive distress when unable to exercise)

• sudden changes in food preferences

• excessive body checking behaviours (e.g., repeatedly weighing self, pinching waist, excessive time spent looking in mirrors)

• extreme sensitivity to feedback about body shape, weight, eating and exercise habits

• continual denial of hunger

• obsessive rituals around eating (e.g., cutting food into very small pieces, excessive chewing or playing with food)

• excessive food preparation and planning (e.g., reading cookbooks, shopping for food, planning, preparing and cooking meals for others but not consuming anything themselves, taking control of the family meals).

• Talk to them and let them know about your concerns. Encourage them to talk about how they are feeling. Listen openly and ask questions to demonstrate your desire to understand their experiences. Avoid the temptation to try to solve your young person’s problems for them, or provide overly simplistic solutions such as ‘all you have to do is eat’.

• Promote healthy eating patterns and positive body image by modelling these attitudes and behaviours yourself.

• Encourage discussions about normal, daily parts of their life. Where possible, avoid being drawn into conversations about food, weight, shape or even just general appearance. Comments about appearance can be misinterpreted (for example, ‘you look well’ may be heard as ‘you look fat’). Provide compliments that focus on personal qualities, rather than looks.

• Try to be patient. The recovery process through eating disorders can be lengthy and challenging. Changes in behaviour can take some time and it is a normal part of recovery to have set-backs. Try to maintain encouragement and reassure a young person that recovery is possible.

• Help them maintain contact with their friends and usual daily activities. Young people experiencing eating disorders can feel very isolated and alone; they may avoid social settings for fear of judgement or to avoid eating. Encourage them to keep up their normal activities as much as possible.

• Learn more about disordered eating and eating disorders: By learning more about disordered eating and eating disorders, you may be in a better position to understand and empathise with your young person, as well as have a greater understanding of how you can help them. You can learn more by visiting The Butterfly Foundation or the InsideOut Institute.