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

• A. Pretending to eat
• B. Skipping meals
• C. Exercising in public
• D. Hydration

Answer: (A)

A key idea here is recognizing covert behaviors that edges of an eating disorder often produce—hidden or deceptive actions around food. Pretending to eat shows a clear attempt to hide actual intake, reflecting anxiety, guilt, or fear about meals. This kind of concealment signals a distorted pattern of thinking about eating that goes beyond ordinary dieting or busy schedules, making it a strong warning sign when you’re looking for disordered eating.

Skipping meals is also a warning sign, and it fits with changes in eating patterns, but the act of pretending to eat highlights deception and secretiveness about food intake, which is particularly telling. Hydration isn’t itself a warning sign of an eating disorder, and exercising in public isn’t a standard indicator on its own; the concern is more about rigid exercise patterns and the impact on health rather than where it happens.