Binge eating is a sign of an eating disorder. According to the NEDA, it’s characterized by repeated binging to the point of discomfort with compensatory measures to counter that eating (i.e., purging).
People suffering from an eating disorder often want to eat alone or avoid meals all together, using various excuses for doing so, like “I just ate before I got here.”
Weight loss to a healthy level is one thing, but when it becomes drastic to the point that someone looks unhealthy, it could indicate a problem.
Yes, we know that we should watch our calories and consume a healthy diet, but an unnatural or excessive preoccupation with food, fat grams or calories–to the point that it interferes with your nutrition or daily life–is not healthy.
People suffering from an eating disorder sometimes view their bodies differently than they really are. They can have a disturbed experience of body weight or shape or denial of the seriousness of their low body weight, according to NEDA.
Someone with an eating disorder could refuse to eat certain food categories (like no carbs, ever) or develop food rituals, like eating foods in certain orders, excessive chewing, rearranging food on a plate, etc.
Someone with an eating disorder can maintain an excessive, rigid exercise regimen–despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury. They have an obsessive need to “burn off” calories taken in, according to NEDA.
Laxative abuse is serious and dangerous, and it could result in life-threatening complications. If someone is taking these regularly without a doctor’s approval, it could indicate a method of trying to purge the body from unwanted food and calories.
They could have an intense fear of becoming fat and/or make frequent comments about feeling “fat” or overweight despite weight loss, thus constantly weighing themselves to try to control this.
Someone with an eating disorder can deny feeling hungry and instead use smoking as a way to distract themselves from wanting to eat.

 Eating Disorders: 10 Warning Signs You Need To Know.

Dr Rick Kausman is the author of the award-winning book If Not Dieting, Then What? and a director of the Butterfly Foundation As a Generation Next speaker he will be presenting at Australia wide seminars throughout 2012. To find out more or register go to 2012 Mental Health and Wellbeing of Young People Events