ISSA Nutritionist Practice Exam

What best defines disordered eating?

1. Balanced eating cycles

2. Patterns of healthy dietary choices

3. Irregular and unhealthy eating behaviors

4. Professional diet monitoring

The correct answer is: Irregular and unhealthy eating behaviors

Disordered eating is best defined as irregular and unhealthy eating behaviors. This includes a spectrum of behaviors such as chronic dieting, binge eating, obsessive food rules, or extreme limitations that don’t necessarily meet the criteria for an eating disorder but still exhibit harmful patterns. Individuals with disordered eating may experience a preoccupation with food, body image, and weight, leading to detrimental physical and emotional health outcomes. The other choices do not encapsulate the complexity of disordered eating. Balanced eating cycles and patterns of healthy dietary choices emphasize a positive and structured relationship with food, significantly differing from the irregular and unhealthy nature of disordered eating. Professional diet monitoring, while beneficial for some, is not inherently related to disordered eating and is often utilized in the context of supporting healthier eating behaviors rather than defining disordered patterns. Thus, the focus on irregular and unhealthy behaviors captures the essence of disordered eating effectively.