title: Is it an eating disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, or both?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors examine the differential diagnosis for gastrointestinal disorders that should be considered in individuals who present with nonspecific gastrointestinal and nutritional complaints suggestive of an eating disorder.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This review first identifies diseases with which eating disorders are often confused and then explores features in the history, physical examination, and laboratory studies, which can provide clues to the cause of the patient's symptoms. In addition, it discusses the recommended evaluation and treatments for the gastrointestinal diseases that most commonly mimic the presentation of eating disorders including Crohn disease (CrD), celiac disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ubiquitous nature of the gastrointestinal complaints requires the clinician to consider a broad differential diagnosis when evaluating a patient for an eating disorder.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. elana.bern@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Elana M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bern
authors.forename: Rebecca F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D057765:Eosinophilic Esophagitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers