What is a characteristic symptom of eating disorders?

A characteristic symptom of eating disorders is a severe preoccupation with weight and unhealthy control efforts. Individuals with eating disorders often have an intense focus on their body image, leading to harmful behaviors aimed at controlling weight. This can manifest in various ways, such as restrictive eating, purging, excessive exercise, or other unhealthy habits aimed at weight management.

In contrast to this characteristic, the other options are indicative of healthy attitudes toward food and dieting. A focus on balanced nutrition and regular meal consumption suggests a healthy relationship with food, which is not consistent with the mindset seen in eating disorders. Similarly, healthy weight loss typically involves a balanced approach to dieting and exercise, which does not align with the extreme behaviors and thought patterns characteristic of eating disorders. Thus, the severe preoccupation with weight and unhealthy control efforts stands out as a defining feature of these disorders.