What Are Some ED Lookouts?
common signs that hint at the presence of an ED
Soumya Chavarkar
8/14/20262 min read
EDs are prevalent in many young teens, so recognizing symptoms and lookouts can help address conditions early on. Common symptoms are normalized in society today, but should not be ignored.
The first and most commonly seen symptom is over-evaluation of weight and body image. Typically, focusing on weight numbers and restrictive eating can hint at this. Frequent comments about body shape, losing weight, or dieting can be a telling sign of a common eating disorder.
A common emotional warning sign is withdrawing from eating in a group or experiencing mood changes at mealtime. Anxiety or depression associated with meals, food, weight, or body image is a common mindset for many eating disorders. What may seem like typical teenage behavior can be a sign of any eating disorder.
A symptom opposite of this is hiding or hoarding food, consuming excess amounts of food, and/or extreme guilt or distress after eating. These can seem normal to many parents and friends and are often attributed to puberty, when they really are not. This look-out is related to Binge Eating Disorder.
Symptoms are also evident physically, with declining health due to vomiting or food avoidance. This includes: erosion of tooth enamel, dizziness, calluses on knuckles, and frequent stomach pains. These physical symptoms stem from behavioral signs like disappearing to the bathroom right after meals and evidence of laxatives or diet pills. These signs point to Bulimia Nervosa.
Anorexia Nervosa typically involves subtle signs like losing a consistent period, muscle weakness, dull hair / dry skin, and feeling cold persistently. Behavioral signs include wearing loose or baggy clothing regardless of the weather, skipping meals, and withdrawing from social activities that were previously enjoyed.
While these symptoms all point to common eating disorders, other symptoms may lead to eating disorders that haven’t been mentioned. All eating disorders are unique to the person, and not having any of these doesn’t mean one doesn’t have an eating disorder.
If you are a friend, parent, or anyone else who notices this behavior, reach out to them with empathy and without blame. A comforting place to address this behavior and convey your concerns helps dismiss awkwardness. This person may deny this behavior, so don’t close the door on the conversation, as they may ask for help in the future. Encourage reaching out to therapists, doctors, or clinics to get professional help. Taking these measures will help improve the chances of recovery for the person you care about. Eating disorders are a serious matter and can risk the health of your loved one, so it's important to reach out for help and be there for them.
Works Cited
Barrette, Lori. “Eating Disorders: 5 Warning Signs.” University of Rochester Medicine, University of Rochester Medicine, 24 July 2020, www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/publications/health-matters/eating-disorders-5-warning-signs.
Ervin, Brittney. “Eating Disorder Warning Signs in Teens: What Parents + Caregivers Should Know: Aster Springs.” Aster Springs | Eating Disorder Treatment, Aster Springs, 21 Apr. 2026, astersprings.com/blog/eating-disorder-warning-signs-in-teens.
Sala, Margaret et al. “The Study of Eating Disorders from a Network Perspective: A Scoping Systematic Review.” Clinical psychology : a publication of the Division of Clinical Psychology of the American Psychological Association vol. 31,3 (2024): 296-322. doi:10.1037/cps0000173