Eating Disorders: An Overview

The current DSM-5 classification of eating disorders suggests that there are several distinctive eating disorders, each requiring a specific treatment. However, numerous studies and clinical observations suggest that eating disorders may in fact be different phenotypic manifestations of a single core psychopathology. This chapter begins by discussing how eating disorders are currently classified. It then describes their main features, and ends by bringing these features together to illustrate an alternative conceptualization of eating disorder—a transdiagnostic perspective.