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Disordered eating meaning ,refers to a wide range of irregular eating behaviors that are not severe enough to constitute an eating disorder. They may include symptoms and behaviours of eating disorders, but at a lesser frequency or lower level of severity. Dieting is one of the most common forms of disordered eating. Other examples include compulsive eating, restrictive eating, inflexible, or irregular eating patterns.
Author and reviewer
Editorial responsibilityReferences and further reading
- Nasser SN, Martins CB, Cavalcante GM, et al. Prevalence of eating disorders and disordered eating in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2026;60(14):1051–1063. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2025-110678. View source
- Gorrell S, Swanson SA, Stice E, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of the prevalence of self-reported disordered eating and associated factors among athletes worldwide. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2024. doi:10.1002/eat.24178. View source
- Hammond T, et al. An Umbrella Review of Body Image Concerns, Disordered Eating, and Eating Disorders in Elite Athletes. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024;13(14):4171. doi:10.3390/jcm13144171. View source
How to cite this entry
Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology. (2026). Disordered Eating. The Center for Nutritional Psychology.
https://dev.nutritional-psychology.org/encyclopedia/disordered-eating/Know a term that belongs in the Encyclopedia?
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