© 2012 Essex Eating Disorder Service

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th Edition there exists a type of eating disorder, known as EDNOS, that does not meet the specific criteria for the two defined disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

When people exhibit behaviours in the spectrum of disordered eating but do not meet all the criteria for Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia, they are given a diagnosis of an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). Over one-half to two-thirds of people diagnosed with an eating disorder fall into the category of EDNOS. More people are diagnosed with EDNOS than Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia combined.

 

Binge eating disorder is a type of EDNOS Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the only type of eating disorder under the category of EDNOS. A person meets the definition of having EDNOS if they have exhibit all the criteria for Anorexia Nervosa but have regular menstruation or a normal body weight, or if they exhibit all the criteria for Bulimia but purge less than two times per week or for a duration shorter than three months, or if only small amounts of food are purged, or if a person spits out food

rather than swallowing it.

 

From eatingdisordersonline.com.