The National Institute of Psychiatry 'Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz' in Mexico underscores the importance of recognizing early signs of eating disorders. Specialists at the Eating Disorders Clinic highlight that early warning signs include recurrent use of laxatives, prolonged fasting, social isolation, sudden mood swings, and the abrupt adoption of restrictive diets without medical or nutritional guidance. These patterns can signal serious alterations in one's relationship with food.
According to the clinic's coordinator, Julieta Bermúdez Gómez, these conditions most frequently affect adolescents aged 10 to 19, particularly females. She emphasized that men with eating disorders are often underdiagnosed, which can delay a proper diagnosis by up to five years, and reiterated that 8 out of 10 affected individuals are women, revealing a clear gender disparity in detection and care.
The institute's therapeutic model is interdisciplinary, involving specialists in psychiatry, psychology, nutrition, and family therapy to comprehensively address the physical, emotional, and behavioral components associated with these disorders. The most common diagnoses include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, which represent a significant clinical burden due to their physical and emotional repercussions.
Bermúdez Gómez explained that the origins of these disorders can be linked to genetic factors, such as an anxious or perfectionist temperament, as well as a history of being underweight, overweight, or obese since childhood. This multisystemic impact highlights the need for timely clinical intervention.
The Eating Disorders Clinic at the INPRFM provides monthly follow-up care to approximately 500 patients who have already begun a specialized treatment process. The specialist urged parents to be especially vigilant for early signs, as these disorders can severely compromise the body's ability to absorb nutrients, leading to adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, digestive tract, bone health, and oral health.
These issues are compounded by psychosocial risk factors such as bullying, sexual abuse, or social and familial pressure that equates thinness with success or acceptance. Bermúdez Gómez stressed that prevention must begin in schools by promoting healthy lifestyles, building self-esteem, and developing emotional regulation skills. Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of educating adolescents to critically interpret images shared on social media, especially as artificial intelligence can generate unrealistic representations that distort body image expectations and normalize risky practices.
The INPRFM reaffirmed its commitment to the care, prevention, and awareness related to eating disorders and invited the public to stay informed and seek professional support upon noticing any warning signs.
