Avoid Eating & Smoking: Is This a Form of Disordered Eating?

When it comes to eating disorders, there is much more information available about the more commonly known illnesses, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. However, aside from these psychiatric illnesses are various different forms of eating disorders, spanning a spectrum of complications that can severely impact a person’s quality of life.

Disordered eating can also take various forms and lead to more dangerous complications, including eating disorders. Understanding some of these potential forms of disordered eating can increase awareness and potentially allow opportunities for appropriate interventions.

Understanding Disordered Eating

Disordered eating is characterized by abnormal eating habits or patterns that do not necessarily fall under the diagnosis of an eating disorder.

This may include many different behaviors, including restrained eating, compulsive eating, or eating patterns that are chaotic and irregular [1]. For some individuals, disordered eating may be triggered by a life event or transitional period, while others may engage in disordered eating as result of struggling with a mental health disorder, such as depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Other factors, like gender, mainstream media influences, and participation in sports that emphasize leanness, can also contribute to disordered eating behaviors.

One study found the incidence of disordered eating to be significantly higher in females than male participants, with 61 percent of females and 28 percent of males disclosing disordered eating behaviors in a survey of over 1600 adolescents [2]. However, it is important to understand that disordered eating can occur in a person regardless of age, gender, family history, socioeconomic background, religion or culture.

Restriction Through Appetite Suppressants

Dieting, or restrictive eating, is one of the most common forms of disordered eating, and may include behaviors such as fasting or using substances as an appetite suppressant, including herbal supplements, diet pills, nicotine or other potentially harmful substances.

Attempting to numb the body’s intuitive sensation of hunger through abnormal behaviors can lead to much more dangerous consequences. Dieting, which often includes extreme measures to avoid eating, has been shown to be a commonality among individuals with eating disorders [3].

Nicotine use via cigarette smoking is a common method that many individuals use in an attempt to suppress appetite, with research revealing the female adolescents with established weight-related anxieties as being more prone to initiate smoking.

Additionally, research has found that women who may already be engaged in unhealthy behaviors for weight control are at increased risk for smoking [4].

Another study found that smoking to lose or control weight is not limited to females but is widespread across gender and racial boundaries, with negative body perceptions and weight concerns being a significant factor in a decision to smoke [5]. Nicotine can be used in various ways as an appetite suppressant, including gum, patches, and cigarettes, though the potential consequences related to these behaviors can be detrimental.

Warning Signs of Nicotine Abuse

A person who may be using nicotine as an appetite suppressant may be engaging in a form of disordered eating. Behaviors that might be demonstrated include:

• Excessive cigarette use
• Smoking or chewing nicotine gum in place of meals
• Restricting foods or avoiding entire food groups
• Avoiding social activities or functions involving food in order to smoke
• Ongoing smoking or nicotine use despite health problems
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when attempting to stop nicotine use
• Development of nicotine tolerance (needing more nicotine to achieve the same effect)
• Spending a considerable time and money to obtain nicotine
• Taking nicotine in greater amounts than intended
• Weight loss and/or dangerous trends with one’s weight
• Anxiety, guilt or shame about eating
• Using nicotine as a way for compensating for eating

It is important to pay careful attention to these warning signs and behaviors, which can indicate that nicotine is being used in a dangerous way. Attempting to lose weight through nicotine use can lead to much more problematic issues, including eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.

If these behaviors have been observed, it is important to seek out intervention as early as possible to prevent worsening symptoms or more complicated health concerns. Interventions may include psychotherapy with a behavioral health specialist, eating disorder specialist, and/or substance abuse counselor, as well as medical/nutritional care.

It may be easy to deny disordered eating issues related to nicotine use, particularly as the deeper issues or concerns may not be as apparent. However, substance use combined with disordered eating is a complex issue that should be professionally addressed for healing and recovery.

---

About the Author: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC is a Contributing Writer for Eating Disorder Hope.

Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing.  As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH and nutrition private practice.

---

References:

[1]: Quick, Virginia M.; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne (May 2013). “Chronic Illness and Disordered Eating: A Discussion of the Literature” (PDF). Advances in Nutrition. 4 (3): 277–286. PMC 3650496 Freely accessible. PMID 23674793. doi:10.3945/an.112.003608.
[2]: Martinson, Laura E.; Esposito-Smythers, Christianne; Blalock, Dan V. (2016). “The Effects of Parental Mental Health and Social-emotional Coping on Adolescent Eating Disorder Attitudes and Behaviors”. Journal of Adolescence. 52: 154–161. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.08.007.
[3]: National eating Disorders Collaboration, “Disordered Eating and Dieting”, http://www.nedc.com.au/disordered-eating Accessed 27 June 2017
[4]: French, Simone A. and Cheryl L. Perry, “Smoking among Adolescent Girls: Prevalence and Etiology,” Journal of American Medical Women’s Association 51.1 & 2, (1996), p.28
[5]: Fulkerson, Jayne A, Ph.D and Simone A. French, Ph.D. 2003. “Cigarette Smoking for Weight Loss or Control Among Adolescents: Gender and Racial/Ethnic Differences.” Journal of Adolescent Health (32.306), p.310

---

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Published on August 21, 2017.
Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on August 21, 2017.
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com