Sources & References

The clinical standards and organizations that inform the content in this guide.

How we use sources

This guide doesn’t footnote individual claims page by page. Instead, every page is checked against the standards and organizations listed below during clinical review (see our medical review process), and against Clarissa Ledsome’s own clinical training and experience treating eating disorders.

Diagnostic standards

• DSM-5-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision) — the diagnostic criteria referenced throughout this guide, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Where a condition covered in this guide (orthorexia, disordered eating, compulsive exercise) is not a formal DSM-5 diagnosis, we say so directly on that page rather than implying otherwise.

Clinical & research organizations

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Federal research agency; general background on prevalence, risk factors, and current research directions.
• American Psychiatry Association (APA) Publisher of the DSM-5-TR and a general reference for diagnostic and treatment guidance.
• Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) International professional association for eating disorder researchers and clinicians.
• International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp) Certifying body for eating disorder specialist credentials, including the IEDS credential.

Crisis & support resources

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 for a mental health crisis, including thoughts of self-harm.
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders National nonprofit offering free peer support, treatment referrals, and a helpline for eating disorders.

Frequently asked questions

Why doesn’t this guide cite a specific source for every individual claim?

Most of the content in this guide describes generally accepted clinical patterns rather than a single study’s findings, so page-by-page footnoting would be misleading — it would imply a level of specificity the claims don’t actually have. Instead, every page is checked against the standards and organizations listed on this page during clinical review, plus Clarissa Ledsome’s own clinical training and experience.

Are the crisis resources listed here (988, National Alliance for Eating Disorders) affiliated with Eating Disorder Solutions?

No — they’re independent national resources included here because they’re free and widely trusted, not because of any partnership or referral arrangement. We don’t control their content, and it may change after this page is published.

Questions about a specific claim

If you’d like to know the specific basis for something stated on a page in this guide, reach out to us and we’re happy to point you to it.