This is a great and important question! Eating disorders, such as Anorexia Nervosa, can affect anybody and do not have any specific “look”. They affect individuals of all body shapes and sizes, genders, ages, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. People of all weights and appearances can experience disordered eating behaviors and also experience serious complications from them.

If you are concerned about your eating and how it is affecting your health, you should definitely talk to your health care provider. There are many health consequences of disordered eating regardless of whether it is diagnosed as Anorexia Nervosa or not. Restricting your food intake can affect vital organs such as the heart, brain, and stomach as well as the skin and hair among many others. Health complications from restricting food can occur regardless of an individual’s weight.

You cannot tell if someone has an eating disorder simply by looking at them. Also, the official criteria used to diagnose Anorexia Nervosa does not include a specific weight requirement. If you have any weight, shape, or eating-related concerns, reaching out to your doctor is a great next step to get the care and support you need.