Author: Caroline Moran, MS in Nutrition Student
Eating disorders are often driven by intense emotions surrounding food and body image, and can negatively impact both physical and psychological health. Over time, habits such as under-fueling, purging, and restriction have the potential to lead to long-term health conditions such as liver damage and heart disease. These behaviors place stress on the heart through malnutrition and electrolyte imbalances, causing various forms of heart dysfunction.
Heart complications have become increasingly common in the US, causing roughly one in every five deaths according to the CDC (CDC, 2024). Preventing heart complications is possible through recovery, and there is no reason that individuals struggling with eating disorders should suffer lifelong health complications.
How Do Different Eating Disorders Affect the Heart?
Each type of eating disorder can impact heart health differently, leading to various complications.
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by severe caloric restriction, while ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) involves a more general pattern of limited intake due to selectivity and disinterest in eating. Both conditions can lead to malnutrition forcing the body to ration energy stores. As survival becomes prioritized, a slowed heartbeat, low blood pressure, and eventually heart failure can appear as symptoms (How Anorexia Impacts Your Heart, n.d.).
Binge Eating Disorder and the Heart
Binge eating disorder (BED) involves episodes of rapid consumption of large quantities of food. As this behavior recurs over time, it can lead to an increase in body fat mass, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, among other conditions (Binge Eating Disorder, 2023). These symptoms exacerbate stress on the heart and can cause heart disease in time.
Bulimia Nervosa and the Heart
Bulimia nervosa is similar to binge eating disorder in that it typically involves periods of rapidly consuming large quantities of food, but differs as bulimia nervosa involves purging the food consumed. For this reason, binge eating disorder and bulimia have different effects on the heart. Purging meals can lead to electrolyte imbalances and weight loss, causing a similar impact on heart health as anorexia nervosa and ARFID. All three of these eating disorders can lead to heart weakness and failure caused by malnutrition.
How Can I Seek Treatment for My Eating Disorder?
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, know that seeking support is a vital step for your recovery. There is no shame in asking for help, and treatment can lead to long-term health and wellbeing. The role of a registered dietitian is to provide support, guidance, and education around reinstating trust with the body and restoring weight to its set point. At Branz Nutrition, outpatient medical nutrition therapy allows clients to access care without the added burden of an inpatient stay in a hospital or clinic.
Click here to schedule an initial session and learn more about what a registered dietitian can do for you.
References
Binge Eating Disorder. (2023, January 31). Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder
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