Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that involve severe disturbances in eating behaviors and thoughts about food, weight, and body shape. The document discusses the main types of eating disorders - anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and unspecified eating disorders. It provides details on the characteristics, warning signs, and health risks of each disorder type. The document also explores potential psychological, interpersonal, social/cultural, and biological factors that may contribute to why people develop eating disorders, such as low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, cultural pressures that glorify thinness, and genetic components.