Beware: A person suffering with an eating disorder is not always underweight. Many persons suffering with eating disorders are average or overweight. Body size does not mean a person is suffering less or is in less danger.

Anorexia danger signs include:

1. Significant weight loss
2. Continual dieting (even if the person is already thin)
3. Feelings of fatness even after weight loss
4. Fear of weight gain
5. Lack of menstrual periods
6. Visible food restriction and self-starvation
7. Preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition, and/or cooking
8. A preference to eat in isolation
9. Compulsive exercise
10. Insomnia
11. Brittle hair or nails
12. Unusual Food rituals such as shifting the food around on the plate to look eaten; cutting food into tiny pieces; making sure the fork avoids contact with the lips (using teeth to scrap food off the fork or spoon); chewing food and spitting it out, but not swallowing; dropping food into napkin on lap to later throw away, etc
13. Hair loss. Pale or “grey” appearance to the skin
14. Use or hiding use of diet pills, laxatives or enemas
15. Social withdrawal
16. Perfectionistic personality

Bulimia nervosa danger signs include:

1. Uncontrollable eating (binge eating)
2. Purging by self-induced vomiting
3. Vigorous exercise
4. Abuse of laxatives or diuretics (water pills) to lose weight
5. Frequent use of the bathroom after meals
6. Reddened fingers (from inducing vomiting)
7. Swollen cheeks, throat or glands (from induced vomiting)
8. Preoccupation with body weight
9. Depression or mood swings
10. Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets, suitcases, under the bed) to avoid eating (Anorexia) or to eat at a later time (Bulimia).
11. Irregular menstrual periods
12. Bruised or calluses knuckles; bloodshot or bleeding in the eyes; light bruising under the eyes and on the cheeks.
13. Dental problems, such as tooth decay caused by induced vomiting
14. Heartburn and/or bloating
15. Perfectionistic personality

Compulsive Overeating/Binge Eating Disorder symptoms include:

1. Fear of not being able to control eating, and while eating, not being able to stop
2. Isolation. Fear of eating around and with others
3. Chronic dieting on a variety of popular diet plans
4. Holding the belief that life will be better if they can lose weight
5. Hiding food in strange places (closets, cabinets, suitcases, under the bed) to eat at a later time
6. Vague or secretive eating patterns
7. Self-defeating statements after food consumption
8. Blames failure in social and professional community on weight
9. Holding the belief that food is their only friend
10. Frequently out of breath after relatively light activities
11. Excessive sweating and shortness of breath
12. High blood pressure and/or cholesterol
13. Leg and joint pain
14. Weight gain
15. Decreased mobility due to weight gain
16. Loss of sexual desire or promiscuous relations
17. Mood swings. Depression. Fatigue
18. Insomnia. Poor Sleeping Habits