Los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria (TCA) engloban varias enfermedades crónicas y progresivas que, a pesar de que se manifiestan a través de la conducta alimentaria, en realidad consisten en una gama muy compleja de síntomas entre los que prevalece una alteración o distorsión de la auto-imagen corporal, un gran temor a subir de peso y la adquisición de una serie de valores a través de una imagen corporal. En los últimos 30 años, los TCA surgieron como enfermedades cada vez más frecuentes, sobre todo en los adolescentes. Los estudios sobre la frecuencia de estos trastornos muestran un aumento preocupante, principalmente en la población de mujeres jóvenes. Se ha encontrado que entre 1 y 2% de las mujeres padecen de anorexia nerviosa (AN), y entre 1 y 3% padecen bulimia nerviosa (BN). Estos trastornos se presentan en una proporción de 10 a 1 en las mujeres con respecto a los varones, aunque en los últimos años se ha incrementado el número de varones que los padecen. Generalmente el inicio de los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria es de los 14 años hasta los 20. En México se han llevado a cabo diversos estudios para detectar dichas manifestaciones conductuales. Los hallazgos en muestras representativas de estudiantes de entre 14 y 24 años de edad han indicado que 1.1% de varones y 5% de mujeres en el estado de Morelos y 3.4% de varones y 9.6% de mujeres en la Ciudad de México refieren dichas conductas.

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Eating disorders are mental disorders defined by abnormal eating habits that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. They include binge eating disorder where people eat a large amount in a short period of time, anorexia nervosa where people eat very little and thus have a low body weight, bulimia nervosa where people eat a lot and then try to rid themselves of the food, pica where people eat non-food items, rumination disorder where people regurgitate food, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder where people have a lack of interest in food, and a group of other specified feeding or eating disorders. Anxiety disorders, depression, and substance abuse are common among people with eating disorders. These disorders do not include obesity. The cause of eating disorders is not clear. Both biological and environmental factors appear to play a role. Cultural idealization of thinness is believed to contribute. Eating disorders affect about 12 percent of dancers. Those who have experienced sexual abuse are also more likely to develop eating disorders. Some disorders such as pica and rumination disorder occur more often in people with intellectual disabilities. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Treatment can be effective for many eating disorders. This typically involves counselling, a proper diet, a normal amount of exercise, and the reduction of efforts to eliminate food. Hospitalization is occasionally needed. Medications may be used to help with some of the associated symptoms. At five years about 70% of people with anorexia and 50% of people with bulimia recover. Recovery from binge eating disorder is less clear and estimated at 20% to 60%. Both anorexia and bulimia increase the risk of death. In the developed world binge eating disorder affects about 1.6% of women and 0.8% of men in a given year. Anorexia affects about 0.4% and bulimia affects about 1.3% of young women in a given year. During the entire life up to 4% of women have anorexia, 2% have bulimia, and 2% have binge eating disorder. Anorexia and bulimia occur nearly ten times more often in females than males. Typically they begin in late childhood or early adulthood. Rates of other eating disorders are not clear. Rates of eating disorders appear to be lower in less developed countries.

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