Victoria Beckham Admits Obsession With Appearance

Victoria Beckham's autobiography, Learning to Fly, revealed that the former Spice Girl has experienced a number of symptoms consistent with eating disorders, according to BBC News.

The book reports that she spent her time in the gym watching herself to see if parts of her were getting any smaller. It also notes a history of aggressive exercise for weight loss, food restriction, and binge eating.

How could Beckham struggle with anorexia nervosa and be involved in binge eating? There are two possibilities.

Sometimes, an eating disorder changes over time. For example, someone who binges may begin to purge food later on (commonly associated with bulimia nervosa). If that does not control the person's weight to her satisfaction, she may then take more drastic measures. This can begin symptoms of anorexia.

Beckham may also have been battling anorexia, purging type. If a person refuses to maintain a fairly normal body weight, regardless of how weight is lost or kept off, the disorder is a version of anorexia. Some restrict food intake, some purge food, and some do both.

Without seeing a clinician's diagnosis, we really don't know what eating disorder may have been in Victoria Beckham's history. But it's clear that her focus on appearance has led to a good deal of anguish.

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