When most people hear the term “eating disorder,” they think of a thin, often teenage girl who looks very unhealthy. But there are many other types of eating disorders, affecting people from all ages and genders.
There are six different types of eating patterns. Some, like the emotional eaters, eat when they’re happy or sad, while others may be more in tune with their emotions and eat when bored. Fog eating is a common type of uncontrolled eating that happens when you’re distracted or don’t realize you’re eating – like grabbing a bag of chips while watching TV.
Then there is rumination syndrome, when you unintentionally and repeatedly regurgitate food from the stomach. This usually occurs within 30 minutes of eating and is a subconscious behavior that often affects infants and people with developmental disabilities. Finally, there is a catch-all category of Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED), which is when you don’t meet the criteria for anorexia or bulimia, but still have a life-altering eating disorder. Noom psychologist Michaelides has categorized these eating styles into four different types: fuel eating, fun eating, fog eating and storm eating. He explains that categorizing your eating can help you understand when and why you eat, so you can make healthier choices.
