Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Eating Disorders

woman looking into distorted mirror
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Body dysmorphic disorder, which affects up to 2.4% of the general population, causes people to become overly concerned with outward appearance and perceived flaws.﻿﻿ It may be seen in people with eating disorders, but is a distinctly different issue.

Symptoms of Body Dysmorphic Disorder


The Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) outlines the criteria for a diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder.﻿﻿ BDD is not classified as an eating disorder in the DSM-5. Instead, it is listed under the category of "Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders." The DSM-5 lists the following diagnostic criteria:

  • At some point, the person suffering has performed repetitive actions or thoughts in response to the concerns. This may be something like continuously comparing his/her appearance to that of others, mirror checking, or skin picking.
  • This obsession causes distress and problems in a person’s social, work, or other areas of life.


The Relationship to Eating Disorders

BDD shares some common features with eating disorders, but there are also important distinctions between them. Some similarities include:

  • People with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and those with body dysmorphic disorder may both be overly concerned with their size, shape, weight, or outward appearance.

Researchers have estimated that as many as 12% of people with body dysmorphic disorder also have anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.﻿﻿﻿


A thorough assessment by a mental health professional such as a therapist or psychiatrist is useful to sort out whether or not someone has an eating disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, or both.

Treatment Options

The good news is that body dysmorphic disorder can be successfully treated. The most effective treatment option involves a combination of a type of psychotherapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy along with medications, including antidepressants.﻿﻿﻿﻿

Any time there are multiple diagnoses involved (as is true in anyone who has both body dysmorphic disorder and an eating disorder), it can complicate treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy is also used in the treatment of eating disorders.

If you have both conditions, you’ll want to make sure your therapist is familiar with both and can create a customized treatment plan for you.



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Article Sources
  1. Bjornsson AS, Didie ER, Phillips KA. Body dysmorphic disorder. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2010;12(2):221-32.

  2. Phillips K. International OCD Foundation. Diagnosing BDD. Updated January 10, 2019.

  3. Mufaddel A, Osman O, Almugaddam F, Jafferany M. A review of body dysmorphic disorder and its presentation in different clinical settings. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2013;15(4), doi:10.4088%2FPCC.12r01464

Additional Reading