A diagnosis often viewed as less serious than anorexia and bulimia – and the most common eating disorder worldwide – can cause just as much harm, a new study has found.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) is diagnosed when a person’s symptoms don’t fit neatly into the classical categories but are still clinically significant.
Researchers from McGill University and Douglas Research Centre compared clinical data from adults with OSFED to those with anorexia and bulimia. Across measures of depression, anxiety, well-being, and concerns about shape, weight and eating, they found people with OSFED were just as ill, and in some cases had more severe symptoms.
“It’s easy to think of OSFED as a ‘catch-all’ or ‘mild’ category,” said lead author Linda Booij, professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry and head of research and academic development at the Douglas Eating Disorders Continuum and Research Centre. “Because it doesn’t present like the more well-known conditions, it can be overlooked,” she said.
The misconception can also lead people to avoid seeking help because they feel their condition isn’t serious enough, she added.