What Is OSFED?
You have likely heard of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and even binge eating disorder (BED). But have you ever heard of Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder or OSFED?
By: Korie Born
Chances are, this name comes with more questions than answers. However, about 30% of people who seek treatment for an eating disorder are diagnosed with OSFED. Learning about this pervasive disorder is essential to spot the signs, reach out for help, or voice your concern to someone you think might be struggling.
What Are Some Signs of OSFED?
Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED), formerly known as Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS), is an eating disorder per the DSM-5. OSFED is sometimes seen as a “catch-all” for people who show signs of anorexia or bulimia but do not meet all the diagnostic criteria. As such, people with OSFED may exhibit some “trademark” symptoms of anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, such as restriction, compensatory behaviors, or bingeing. Also common with OSFED is a preoccupation with body size, extreme fear of gaining weight, distorted body image or body dysmorphia, and heightened body dissatisfaction. It is essential to talk to a treatment professional if you believe you are struggling with OSFED or other disordered eating concerns or reach out to friends or loved ones who you think may be suffering.
Who Suffers from OSFED?
OSFED is the most commonly diagnosed eating disorder among adults and adolescents. This eating disorder affects people of all ages, body sizes, gender expressions, and socio–economic status. As with all eating disorders, it is impossible to tell if someone is suffering just by looking at them. People with OSFED, like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, can have other comorbid conditions such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
How Can Someone Recover from OSFED?
Recovery from OSFED is possible. Someone with OSFED can recover by working with a treatment team to develop a recovery plan to find freedom from their eating disorder. The first step is reaching out to a loved one or treatment professional about your concerns about eating and body image. If you know someone you think may be struggling with OSFED, contact them to talk about your concerns. Healing is possible with compassionate care from an expert treatment team.
At BALANCE™, an eating disorder treatment center, we have a dedicated and highly proficient team of clinicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating various eating disorders. These include OSFED, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, other disordered eating habits, and body image problems. Our Daytime Intensive Outpatient Program is here to help you navigate life without the stress of an eating disorder and move through your work, school, and social commitments without food or body image thoughts getting in the way. Join us now for a limited time, and learn more about our Daytime Intensive Outpatient program here.
Contact our admissions staff here to set up a free consultation call to see what BALANCE can do to support your healing journey.
This post was written by BALANCE Intuitive Eating | HAES Content Creator, Korie Born (she/her).
Korie Born is an educator turned Intuitive Eating Counselor with passion for eating disorder treatment and recovery. She earned an undergraduate degree in French at Sonoma State University, then after several years teaching middle school French and English, pursued a Master’s Degree in Education specializing in the overlap between eating disorders and education. Korie has worked to ensure that students and her Intuitive Eating Counseling clients feel supported in making diet culture and disordered eating a thing of the past. As an educator, she honed her content creation skills to share about Intuitive Eating with students in different settings, and through curriculum development for multiple anti-diet and self-esteem boosting curricula for nonprofits in the field. Korie is thrilled to be a part of the BALANCE team to continue to put her content creation, passion, and belief in true healing into action.
References
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder. (2017, March 21). Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder. National Eating Disorders Association. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/osfed
What is OSFED: Symptoms, Causes, and Complications. (n.d.). Center for Discovery. https://centerfordiscovery.com/conditions/osfed/