Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)

Women with other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) don’t meet all the criteria for specific eating disorders. For example, they may not meet the guidelines for doctors to diagnose them with bulimia or anorexia. However, they do have some of the symptoms, which interfere with their ability to live their lives, and they need the same treatments as those who have specific eating disorders. Fortunately, they can get these services at an OSFED treatment center like Magnolia Creek.

Previously, experts referred to OSFED as an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). They developed this category to encompass those that have significant eating problems that aren’t consistent with existing disorders.
Magnolia Creek - patients

Overview of OSFED

Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare’s AVP of Clinical Services, Kate Fisch, LCSW, discusses OSFED and how Magnolia Creek treats it.

Examples of OSFED

  • Atypical anorexia - Criteria for anorexia have been met except the individual’s weight is within or above what is considered normal based on height, gender, and development stage. 
  • Bulimia with less frequent behaviors - Criteria for bulimia have been met except the behaviors occur on average less than once a week and/or for less than 3 months. 
  • Binge eating with less frequent behaviors - Criteria for binge eating disorder have been met, except that binge eating occurs, on average, less than once a week and/or for less than 3 months. 
  • Purging disorder - Recurrent purging behavior influences body shape and size, but in the absence of binge behaviors.  
  • Night eating syndrome - Recurrent episodes of excessively eating at night, even interrupting the sleep cycle due to urges to eat.  

 OSFED is a serious and life-threatening diagnosis.  The disorder is treatable, especially when treated in an environment with trained eating disorder treatment specialists. 

How We Treat

Not all individuals face the same challenges or respond the same to certain treatments, so we treat OSFED with a range of different therapies. To address each client’s differences, we create individualized treatment plans that may incorporate the following therapies:

Nutrition therapy is a major part of eating disorder treatment as well. In addition, the facility uses experiential therapies to address more than just the eating problem. Some examples include art therapy, animal-assisted therapy, adventure therapy, mindfulness therapy, and guided imagery.
Kate Fisch headshot - Magnolia Creek

REVIEWED BY

Kate Fisch, LCSW

Kate Fisch is the AVP of Clinical Operations for Odyssey’s Eating Disorder Network. With 17 years of clinical leadership and direct client care experience in the eating disorders field, she has a history of innovation, clinical training, and resource development in a variety of eating disorder treatment settings supporting families, clients, and clinicians.

If you’d like to learn more about our OSFED treatment program, our caring staff is ready to help. Call us or fill out the form to get started today.

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