Eating disorders and disordered eating

If you or someone you know has an eating disorder, they can go for help at the Regional Eating Disorders Program offered through Health Sciences North.

What is the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating?

Eating disorder:

Term commonly used to refer to anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
For more information on eating disorders, visit the National Eating Disorders Information Centre (NEDIC).

Disordered eating:¹

Unhealthy attitudes about one’s body, such as weight concerns and poor body image.
Unhealthy behaviours ranging from skipping meals and chronic or crash dieting to binging and purging.
The obsession with losing weight or maintaining a certain body shape and size may lead to an eating disorder.

Signs and symptoms of disordered eating.

In general, watch for:²

dieting or restricting certain foods for non-medical reasons
excessive exercise such as exercising when tired, injured or sick
preoccupation with weight, shape, food, muscles, percentage of body fat, appearance and/or calories
negative comments about one’s body and self
constantly checking in mirrors

Where can I go for help with eating disorders?

The Regional Eating Disorders Program (REDP) is a community-based outpatient assessment and treatment program available to residents of Northeastern Ontario. Offered through Health Sciences North’s Mental Health and Addictions Program, the eating disorders program offers services to children, adolescents and adults (along with their families) suffering from anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

How can I access services through the REDP?

Referrals to the REDP are accepted from the person seeking help, family members, friends, health care providers or other community agencies. In the City of Greater Sudbury and the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts, call the Central Intake and Referral Coordination (CIRC) Program or visit them in person at 127 Cedar Street, Sudbury, ON for more information. Referral forms for health care providers can be printed from the Health Sciences North’s Mental Health and Addictions website and sent to the CIRC Program. Once referral forms are completed, an intake clinician will contact you with more information or to schedule an appointment. The CIRC is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and can be reached at 705.523.4988, ext. 4221.

References:

Provincial Health Services Authority and BC Mental Health and Addiction Services (n.d.). Disordered Eating and Obesity: Working Together to Promote the Health of British Columbians. Retrieved from http://cfe.keltyeatingdisorders.ca/sites/default/files/resource/Disordered_Eating_and_Obesity_Briefing_Document.pdf on August 7, 2014.
Body Sense (2010). What are the signs and symptoms of detecting of disordered eating? Retrieved from http://bodysense.ca/signs-and-symptoms on November 16, 2016.

This item was last modified on June 2, 2022