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Purging behaviors, including self‐induced vomiting, laxative abuse, and diuretic abuse, are present across many of the eating disorders. Here we review the major medical complications of these behaviors.

Although we identified over 100 scholarly articles describing medical complications associated with purging, most papers involved case studies or small, uncontrolled samples. Given the limited evidence base, we conducted a qualitative (rather than systematic) review to identify medical complications that have been attributed to purging behaviors.

Medical conditions affecting the teeth, esophagus, gastrointestinal system, kidneys, skin, cardiovascular system, and musculoskeletal system were identified, with self‐induced vomiting causing the most medical complications.

Purging behavior can be associated with severe medical complications across all body systems …