Eating disorders are not limited to well-known diagnoses such as anorexia or bulimia. In recent years, we have also been seeing more of the newer forms and risk patterns of eating behavior, which may seem less obvious at first glance but are just as serious for both physical and mental health.
In adolescents or young adults, these issues often develop gradually. Parents or close relatives may notice changes in eating habits, body image, exercise, or alcohol use, but long interpret them as a phase, a “healthy lifestyle,” or ordinary teenage insecurity. Early recognition is therefore essential.
Terms such as drunkorexia, bigorexia, or orthorexia describe specific and often underestimated problems in the relationship with food, the body, and performance. These are not trendy labels or exaggerations, but real difficulties that can significantly affect health, family life, and psychological well-being.
A common thread is excessive control, anxiety related to food or the body, and a gradual narrowing of everyday life. A person may initially appear disciplined, “health-conscious,” or fitness-oriented, while in reality they may be under intense pressure and internal tension.
Drunkorexia refers to behavior in which a person skips meals or significantly restricts food intake in order to “save calories” for alcohol. It often appears in adolescents and young adults, especially in environments where drinking is tied to social pressure and, at the same time, to fear of weight gain.
At first glance, it may look like an occasional skipped meal before a party, but the issue is deeper. The combination of starvation and alcohol increases the risk of malnutrition, impaired concentration, injuries, blackouts, and the development of further risky behavior.
For close ones, warning signs may include a teenager or young adult repeatedly skipping dinner, returning from social events without eating, talking about “saving calories for alcohol,” or strongly compensating for social drinking by restricting food.
Bigorexia is a disorder associated with an obsession with muscularity and the belief that the body is never big, strong, or defined enough. A person may spend many hours in the gym, obsessively control their diet, and still feel that their body does not meet the ideal.
This disorder is not limited to men, although it is often more visible in them. Typical features include constant comparison with others, dissatisfaction with one’s appearance, pressure to perform, and sometimes dangerous experimentation with supplements or other substances.
In practice, bigorexia can lead to exercise no longer being a healthy part of life and instead becoming compulsive behavior. A person may keep training despite exhaustion, injury, or illness because they fear they will “lose shape.”
Orthorexia refers to a pathological obsession with “proper,” “clean,” or “perfect” nutrition. A healthy interest in food gradually turns into a strict system of prohibitions, fear of “impure” food, and significant restriction of social life.
A person with orthorexic tendencies may spend hours choosing food, checking ingredients, and planning meals. Outwardly, they may seem highly disciplined, but in reality they are often under strong pressure and inner anxiety.
Alongside orthorexia, we may also see other risky patterns, such as night eating or long-term irregular eating patterns in which little is eaten during the day and most energy intake shifts to the evening or night. These signs may also indicate that the relationship with food is out of balance.
Eating disorders are not just a matter of willpower or “bad habits.” They are serious conditions that can affect physical health, mental state, and social functioning. In adolescents, they can also interfere with growth, hormonal development, concentration, and school performance.
Long-term restriction of food, binge eating with compensatory behaviors, excessive exercise, or intense fixation on the body can lead to malnutrition, fatigue, mood swings, sleep problems, anxiety, and worsening family relationships. In some cases, there is also a risk of addictive behavior or substance misuse.
The earlier the problem is identified, the better it can be addressed. Early help often means that it is not necessary to wait for a fully developed disorder, but intervention can begin already at the stage of warning signs.
Warning signs include sudden changes in eating habits, skipping shared meals, rigid labeling of foods as “good” or “forbidden,” frequent comments about weight or body, and strong dissatisfaction with appearance. It may also be concerning if a child or adolescent begins to experience food or exercise as a source of stress rather than as a normal part of the day.
Another sign is excessive control, the need for everything to be precisely planned, or strong anxiety when the routine is disrupted. In some young people, isolation, irritability, secrecy, or worsening relationships at home may also appear.
It is important not to judge a single isolated behavior, but the overall pattern. One skipped lunch does not prove anything, but a repeated pattern of behavior may be a reason for professional assessment.
If you are worried about your child or a close person, it is best to start with a calm and open conversation. It helps to speak about what you notice rather than criticize appearance or weight. Phrases like “I noticed that you often skip meals and seem stressed about it” are much more useful than blame.
It is also not helpful to dismiss the problem or hope that it will simply pass. In eating disorders, a timely and sensitive response from the family is often an important protective factor.
Likewise, trying to solve the situation through pressure, bans, or comments about appearance usually leads to more withdrawal rather than improvement.
A nutrition therapist/dietitian helps assess the eating pattern, distinguish common nutritional mistakes from risky behavior, and suggest a safe and realistic plan. In adolescents, it is especially important to work sensitively, without pressure and with respect for the psychological situation and family context.
The care does not focus only on “what to eat,” but also on how to rebuild a relationship with food that is not based on fear, restriction, or extremes. In case of eating disorders, nutritional care is connected with psychological, psychiatric, and addiction support, as needed, because eating disorders usually affect several areas at once.
Early consultation can also be very helpful when there is not yet a fully developed disorder. In many cases, it is enough to identify a risky trend, adjust the routine, and prevent the problem from worsening further.
Professional assessment is appropriate if you notice repeated food restriction, rapid weight changes, fear of ordinary foods, compulsive exercise, compensatory behaviors after eating, or significant stress related to body and eating.
It also makes sense to book a consultation if the issue begins to affect family relationships, school, sport, or overall mental well-being. With adolescents, it is better to respond earlier rather than later.
At EUNOMA Clinic, we approach eating disorders in a comprehensive way, taking age, family situation, and mental health into account. During a consultation with our nutrition therapist, we focus on what is safe, sustainable, and truly helpful in restoring a healthier relationship with food.
If you are worried about your child, partner, or another close person, you do not have to wait until the situation gets worse. Timely professional support can be the first step toward improvement.
If you feel that yours or your loved one’s relationship with food, body image, or exercise is starting to worsen, book a consultation with a nutrition therapist Kateřina Kozáková at EUNOMA Clinic.
I have been working in the field of addiction counselling for more than 10 years. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Addictology from the First Faculty of Medicine and a degree in General Medicine from the Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. In my research, I focus on preventive medicine and epidemiology.
In my work with clients, I combine evidence-based knowledge with a holistic approach to mental health. My medical background enables me to understand the broader clinical context and to better support each client’s individual needs.
