Physical exam for eating disorders

During a physical exam for eating disorders, the doctor will:

• Check your weight and compare it with the expected weight for someone of the same height and age. In general, 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 doctor 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.

Citations

1. Steering Committee on Practice Guidelines, American Psychiatric Association (2006). Treating Eating Disorders: A Quick Reference Guide. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
2. 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.