Feelings about eating and body image cover a broad range or continuum. One end of the continuum represents flexible and healthy eating, with confidence about body shape and size. In today’s society, however, many people are preoccupied with appearance and attempt to change their size through a focus on diets. Unfortunately, diets (especially severe diets) don’t often work over the long-term. As diets become more unhealthy at the other end of the continuum, distress about food and body image becomes more extreme and eating disorders can develop.  

Wherever you locate yourself on this continuum, if your feelings about food and body become distressing to yourself or others, the Cornell Healthy Eating Program (CHEP) can help. The goal is learning to optimize your emotional and physical wellbeing through healthy eating and body image.  

Print a more detailed version of the Eating Issues and Body Image Continuum (pdf).

Flexible healthy eating and body confidence

Flexible, healthy eating and body confidence are characterized by positive feelings about food and the body. No matter what your size, you enjoy eating for pleasure and trust your body to tell you what to eat. Foods are not “good” or “bad,” “male” or “female,” and you spend a reasonable part of the day eating for health and enjoyment. You feel good about your body and maintain a sense of self-worth despite conflicting messages from friends and media about the “perfect body.”

Preoccupation with food and body size

Preoccupation with food and body size involves frequent thoughts about food, eating, and your body. You may engage in moderate dieting or exercise to change your body size and shape. You feel concerned about what you eat and consistently feel that you could lose a few pounds. In general, these feelings do not interfere with enjoyment or social and academic aspects of life. When negative feelings or stress become significant, it is a good idea to seek help.

Disordered eating and body image distress

Disordered eating and body image distress refers to a level concern about food and body that may take precedence over other priorities in your life. You may be fairly rigid in your eating patterns, work hard to change your body through exercise, and/or do some unhealthy compensating by purging (vomiting, fasting, excessive exercise, use of laxatives and diet aids). It is important to seek help at this stage to develop a healthier food pattern and more successful long-term strategies for weight management.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa refers to fear of gaining weight and severe restriction of food intake that can result in significant weight loss. Bulimia nervosa involves an attempt to manage weight through frequent compensation by purging (self-induced vomiting, laxatives, diet pills, diuretics, over-exercise, or fasting). Binge eating disorder defines a pattern of binge eating without purging.

Eating disorders often do not fall neatly into these categories and may take a variety of forms, from mild to severe. Treatment for eating disorders is important at any level of severity to reduce the risk of short-term and long-term health problems.

In general, eating disorders are usually characterized by relentless thoughts and internal arguments about food and/or body size and shape. They often involve a disconnection between appetite and eating, where you may find yourself eating without hunger or feeling hungry without giving yourself permission to eat.

Where do I fit on the continuum?

You may find yourself at different places on this continuum at different points in time. Movement down the continuum is sometimes influenced by other life stresses. If stress combined with feelings about food and body become difficult or overwhelming, the Cornell Healthy Eating Program can help.

Make an appointment with a member of the CHEP team to talk about your concerns.

Note: The Eating Issues & Body Image Continuum is adapted from an original by the University of Arizona Campus Health Services (Smiley/King/Avey, 1996).

Additional resources

• The National Eating Disorders Association health information and referral hotline (800) 931-2237
• Visit our collection of CHEP Resources