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Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED)

Prof. Yael Latzer, School of Social Work and Public Health, University of Haifa, Center for Eating Disorders, Rambam Health Care Campus
16 July 2025

The article is written from a female perspective since most people with this disorder are girls, but the information is accurate and relevant for boys, young people, men, and women of all ages.

This group of disorders is a broad term for various problematic eating behaviors that meet most of the criteria for a subclinical state of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder. This means that not all criteria are present, or they don't appear with the intensity needed for a full diagnosis.

  • Night eating syndrome: Characterized by excessive and unreasonable food intake in the evening after dinner, as well as significant eating during the night and then going back to sleep. Other main features include lack of appetite in the morning, sleep problems, worsening mood in the evening, and severe emotional distress.

  • Purging disorder: Involves repeated self-induced vomiting and the use of laxatives, diuretics, and enemas, but occurs without binge eating.

  • Atypical anorexia nervosa: This diagnosis is given when all criteria for a full diagnosis of anorexia nervosa are met, except for being underweight. Those affected lose weight drastically, often starting from being significantly overweight and typically having a history of being overweight. Therefore, despite the significant weight loss, they may reach a normal weight or remain overweight, but the drastic weight loss leads to serious physical and mental health issues.

Diagnosis

  • Reduced eating.

  • Compulsive exercise.

  • Binge eating and self-induced vomiting.

  • Significant fear of gaining

    weight.

  • Rapid weight loss over a short

    period.

  • Maintaining a high or normal weight despite significant reductions in eating; since they began overweight, they do not develop the underweight state seen in anorexia.

  • Constantly trying to lose weight.

  • Malnutrition: Due to sharp weight loss and reduced food intake, most individuals with this disorder are malnourished, even if they have a normal weight. There is a tendency to think that "atypical" situations are less severe, but reality shows otherwise.

Important to know

Important to know

This is a new disorder that hasn’t been studied much, and many people are still unaware of it. Because of this, doctors and mental health professionals often struggle to diagnose it. As a result, most people suffer for 8 to 10 years before getting the right diagnosis, leading to serious physical and mental health issues. During those years without a correct diagnosis and proper treatment, eating habits can become set, making recovery harder. So, raising awareness and diagnosing it correctly as early as possible is very important.