What is anorexia? What eating disorder experts need you to know

Tens of millions of adults and teens in the U.S. are affected by a wide range of mental health disorders. The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health notes that some of the most common ones include anxiety disorders, depression, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

The agency also includes eating disorders as being among the most prevalent mental health disorders, but notes that they are more common among teens than they are among adults. While there are many forms of disordered eating, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders specifies eight distinct eating disorders. These include anorexia nervosa as the most common one, followed by bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, pica, rumination, and two categories that include a wider range of less common or less studied disordered eating behaviors.