Physical exam for eating disorders

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Physical exam for eating disorders

During a physical exam for eating disorders, the health professional will:

• Check your weight and compares it with the expected weight for someone of the same height and age. Generally, a body mass index (BMI) that is equal to or less than 17.5 in adults is considered underweight.¹
• Check your blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. Many people who have eating disorders have a sudden drop in blood pressure when they sit up from a lying position or stand up from a sitting position.
• Listen to your heart and lungs.
• Examine your belly for anything unusual.
• Check your hands and feet for swelling.

Other physical signs include:²

• Dry skin.
• Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia).
• Thinning or dull hair on the head and unexpected fine hair growth on the body.
• Low blood pressure (especially when you stand up).
• Low heart rate.
• Low body temperature.

Because vomiting is often part of an eating disorder, the health professional may also check for:³

• Inflamed or diseased teeth and gums or erosion of tooth enamel.
• Swollen glands in the neck.
• Broken blood vessels in the eyes.
• Teeth marks on the back of the hands or calluses on the knuckles from self-induced vomiting.
• Loose skin.
• Sores in the mouth.

References

Citations

1. Steering Committee on Practice Guidelines, American Psychiatric Association (2006). Treating eating disorders: A quick reference guide. Available online: www.psych.org/psych_pract/treatg/quick_ref_guide/EDs_QRG.pdf.

2. Committee on Adolescence, American Academy of Pediatrics (2003). Policy statement: Identifying and treating eating disorders. Pediatrics, 111(1): 204–211.

3. Fairburn CG, Harrison PJ (2003). Eating disorders. Lancet, 361(9355): 407–416.

Credits

Last updated:	September 25, 2007
Author:	Jeannette Curtis
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, W. Stewart Agras, MD - Psychiatry
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC