Dieting is very common - but how can you tell when a diet has gone too far and may in fact be the beginnings of an eating disorder? This presentation shares 6 tell-tale signs and can be used for reference or training others.

1. …BUT WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DIET AND AN
EATING DISORDER?
DIETING IS VERY COMMON AMONGST TEENAGERS…

2. SIGNS
Highly
restrictive
diet
No slips
Cuts out food
groups
Other weight
control
methods
used
Panics at the
thought of
eating out
Diet success
used as a
measure of
self-success

3. HIGHLY RESTRICTIVE DIET
One of the key differences
between a regular diet and an
eating disorder is one of
scale. Generally speaking, a
young person with an eating
disorder will restrict their calorie
intake to only a few hundred
calories per day. Allowing
themselves to eat maybe less
than half the number of calories
they are likely to expend in a day.

4. LOOK OUT FOR…
Very small portion sizes
Skipping meals altogether
Throwing food away
Always choosing low fat / diet versions
Avoiding high calorie foods like sweets or puddings

5. NO SLIPS
Eating disorders sufferers tend
to be very black and white in
their thinking and go with an all
or nothing approach. They will
very rarely deviate from their
prescribed diet, and if they do,
they are likely to punish
themselves by eating even less
for the rest of the day, or doing
heavy exercise or similar.

6. LOOK OUT FOR
Very specific dietary rules
Rigidly sticking to their rules
Not deviating even for e.g. birthday cake
Disproportionately upset if their diet slips

7. CUTS OUT FOOD GROUPS
People with eating disorders feel very comfortable with
rules and are often much happier to create a very strict
rule e.g. ‘No Wheat’ and stick to it carefully rather than
attempting to find compromises and alternatives to foods
they perceive as dangerous.

8. LOOK OUT FOR
Adopting vegetarian or vegan diet
Cutting out food due to intolerance
e.g. dairy, wheat, gluten
Other rules such as ‘no puddings’

9. OTHER WEIGHT CONTROL METHODS
In addition to
controlling their food
intake, other weight
control methods
might be used such
as heavy exercise or
laxative use.

10. LOOK OUT FOR
Exercising for several hours a day
Constantly finding ways to burn calories,
may dislike sitting still
Use of laxatives of diuretics
Self-induced vomiting

11. PANICS ABOUT EATING OUT
A young person with an eating disorder would find the idea of
eating out with friends terrifying. The thought of having to
consume more calories than they’ve budgeted for or having to eat a
meal where they’re not completely in control and may not know the
exact ingredients and/or calorie content is likely to induce feelings
of panic

12. LOOK OUT FOR
Avoids eating in unfamiliar
places
Becomes generally more
unsociable
Sticks to similar familiar
foods

13. SUCCESS MEASURED BY DIET
Weight gain will be taken very
badly and even a small gain will
make the young person feel like
a failure as will failing to stick to
their diet rules. They will often
also assume that everyone else
is also judging them according
to their weight and dieting.

14. LOOK OUT FOR
Obsessing over insignificant weight
gain
Judging themselves according to their
weight
Getting very angry over diet deviations
Describing themselves negatively
using ‘fat talk’

15. Need more support?
Dr Pooky Knightsmith specialises in mental health
and emotional well-being in the school setting.
She can provide training sessions or workshops
for school staff, parents or students on a variety
of topics, including self-harm and eating
disorders.
For further information and free resources visit
www.inourhands.com
Email: pooky@inourhands.com
Twitter: @PookyH