Fourteen Signs that Your Daughter May Have an Eating Disorder

How do you know if your child may have an eating disorder? Here are some signs that may indicate a problem.

Erratic food habits: Eating large amounts of food and then disappearing from the table.
Playing with food.
Restricting food intake.
Major changes in weight in a short amount of time: Considering teen bodies are changing and getting heavier, dramatic weight loss for age and height can be a warning sign.
Hiding her body even after weight loss: May be an indication that your daughter believes her body is very large even when it is not.
Hiding food: Finding large amounts of food stashed in her bedroom, hidden under her bed or in closet, disappearance of food from the refrigerator or pantry.
Refusal to eat when others are present: You’ll hear things like “I’ve already eaten” or “I have a stomachache” simply to avoid eating.
Compulsive exercising: Exercising to take off as many calories that were consumed. Exercising several times daily or exercising until she can’t exercise anymore. Hyper-focus on how many calories burned, weight, inches, etc.
Skipping meals consistently.
Measuring self-worth based on weight: Calling oneself “good” for not eating and “bad” for giving in to eating. Bashing self for eating more than the allotted calories.
Complaining about being overweight and fat when they are clearly underweight.
Missing several periods in a row. Periods can stop when girls lose too much weight.
Overall poor body image: Poor attitude when it comes to weight and appearance.
Spending a lot of time in the bathroom: Could be sign of purging or laxative use.