Eating Disorders Vs. Dieting
First, I would like to mention that the basic reason of all eating disorders is the lack of self esteem. I think that is why all the people who suffer from any kind of eating disorders would practice their food habits secretly, and when you know the truth of their habits and face them with it, they would simply say that they are on a diet, because it is the only way they can convince themselves and others that what they are doing is not wrong.
But, when we come to think of it, there is a huge difference between an eating disorder like Anorexia for example where a person does not eat at all and when they do they feel guilty, and a diet where a person tries to lose some of his weight by the most healthy ways like counting their calories, eating less portions or perhaps physical exercising.
A person with an eating disorder often thinks that his life would be much better if only he had the ideal weight. He thinks that people would not consider looking at him unless he had the perfect weight; and this is not healthy, not for the body, and definitely not for the mind.