Condition Menu

What Are the Health Risks of Eating Disorders?

The health risks associated with Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED) are numerous and varied, as these conditions can involve any number of maladaptive eating or exercise behaviors.

OSFED Risks

Some of the more serious health risks of OSFED, including Orthorexia, Body Dysmorphia, Exercise Compulsion, and Diabulimia include:

  • Organ failure
  • Osteoporosis
  • Muscle loss and weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Electrolyte and chemical imbalances
  • Tooth decay and staining
  • Irregular bowel movements/constipation
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol levels
  • Heart disease
  • Type II diabetes mellitus and/or gallbladder disease

Due to a heightened mortality rate associated with eating disorders, eating disorders can be life-threatening. In fact, research has found a mortality rate of 5.2 percent for unspecified eating disorders. Suicide can also be a risk.

You can recover from your eating disorder

Like any eating disorder, those suffering from orthorexia, body dysmorphia, exercise compulsion, diabulimia or another form of OSFED can experience serious health complications and consequences.

Please call us at 877-825-8584 to schedule a free, confidential consultation with an ERC Masters-level clinician who can help you or a loved one learn more about eating disorder treatment and medical stabilization.

Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center are accredited through the Joint Commission. This organization seeks to enhance the lives of the persons served in healthcare settings through a consultative accreditation process emphasizing quality, value and optimal outcomes of services.

Organizations that earn the Gold Seal of Approval™ have met or exceeded The Joint Commission’s rigorous performance standards to obtain this distinctive and internationally recognized accreditation. Learn more about this accreditation here.

Joint Commission Seal