Which of the following is a warning sign of an eating disorder?

• A. Frequent alcohol use
• B. Regular social meals
• C. Exercise or compulsive exercise patterns
• D. Maintaining a healthy body weight

Answer: (C)

Compulsive exercise patterns are a warning sign because they reveal an extreme, rigid attempt to control weight and body shape. When someone spends excessive time exercising, follows strict routines, feels distressed if they can’t work out, or uses exercise to “make up” for what they’ve eaten, it points to an unhealthy relationship with food and body image. This kind of behavior often accompanies dieting and body dissatisfaction and can drive a cycle of restriction and overexercise.

Regular social meals indicate normal eating structure, and maintaining a healthy body weight suggests weight stability rather than a disordered pattern. Frequent alcohol use isn’t a specific indicator of an eating disorder by itself, so it doesn’t function the same way as the compulsive exercise pattern in signaling an issue.