EDNOS stands for eating disorder not otherwise specified, a term used in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) used to diagnose psychological disorders. The current manual, the DSM-IV, only recognizes two specific eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. However, some patients have many symptoms of disordered eating without quite meeting all of the diagnostic criteria for either of those conditions. They may be diagnosed with EDNOS.
People sometimes make the assumption that an eating disorder not otherwise specified is less serious than disorders like anorexia and bulimia, since those disorders have specific names and diagnostic criteria. That simply isn’t the case, however. Eating disorders other than anorexia and bulimia can be very serious and carry many of the same risks as those disorders. In addition, the National Alliance for Mental Illness explains that little research has been conducted on other types of eating disorders, so less is known about how to effectively treat them.
What is an EDNOS?
Eating disorders that aren’t otherwise specified in the DSM-IV include the following. (You can click on the links for more detailed information)
- Night eating syndrome – this is a condition in which people eat little food during the day and eat most of their daily calories in the evening. They may also wake frequently during the night to eat.
- Sleep eating disorder – this is a condition in which people eat when they are sleep. It’s similar to sleep walking. In some instances, people that eat while asleep eat strange foods, like raw meat, or non-food items like soap or dirt. It’s technically considered a sleep disorder, not an eating disorder, but people with other eating disorders may also suffer from sleep eating disorder.
- Binge eating disorder – this is a condition in which people binge on large amounts of food, much like people with bulimia do, but they generally don’t purge. If they do purge, they do so infrequently, so they don’t meet the diagnostic criteria for bulimia.
- Purging disorder – people with this condition purge much like people with bulimia do, but they usually don’t binge. If they do binge, they do so infrequently, so they don’t meet the diagnostic criteria for bulimia.
- Orthorexia nervosa – this is a condition in which a person obsesses about eating a healthful diet. They may eat a very limited range of foods due to concerns about the healthfulness of various food items, so they may develop nutritional deficiencies. This may also lead to excessive weight loss.
In other cases, people might have many symptoms of anorexia or bulimia but not quite meet the full criteria for those conditions. For instance, in order to be diagnosed with bulimia, people must binge and purge at least two times per week and this behavior must have continued for at least three months. If someone only binges and purges once per week on average, they probably still have an eating disorder, but cannot be diagnosed with bulimia. Instead, they would probably be diagnosed with EDNOS.
Treatment for Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
Treatment for these conditions is similar to treatment for anorexia or bulimia. Treatment typically includes medical care for health problems caused by the disorder (health problems may include malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies, morbid obesity, heart problems, kidney problems, and dehydration), dental care for people that purge by vomiting, nutritional counseling and education, and individual and group psychotherapy. Family therapy is usually included in the treatment plan, as well. Physical therapy or education about exercise is sometimes appropriate, as is spiritual care. Twelve step programs like Overeaters Anonymous can also be part of treatment. The treatment plan can be customized to meet the needs of each individual, of course.