Anorexia Nervosa : Articles

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that involves limiting the amount of food a person eats. It results in starvation and an inability to stay at the minimum body weight considered healthy for the person's age and height. Persons with this disorder may have an intense fear of weight gain, even when they are underweight. Not eating enough food or exercising too much results in severe weight loss. See also: Bulimia; Intentional weight loss.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by unrealistic fear of weight gain, self-starvation, and conspicuous distortion of body image. The name comes from two Latin words that mean "nervous inability to eat." In females who have begun to menstruate, anorexia nervosa is usually marked by amenorrhea, or skipping at least three menstrual periods in a row. The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , or DSM-IV (1994), defines two subtypes of anorexia nervosa—a restricting type, characterized by strict dieting and exercise without binge eating—and a binge-eating/purging type, marked by episodes of compulsive eating with or without self-induced vomiting and the use of laxatives or enemas. DSM-IV defines a binge as a time-limited (usually under two hours) episode of compulsive eating in which the individual consumes a significantly larger amount of food than most people would eat in similar circumstances.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that mainly affects young women. It can threaten your health, your well being, and even your life. Much about anorexia isn’t fully understood. But it can be treated.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by unrealistic fear of weight gain, self-starvation, and conspicuous distortion of body image. The name comes from two Latin words that mean nervous inability to eat. In females who have begun to menstruate, anorexia nervosa is usually marked by amenorrhea , or skipping at least three menstrual periods in a row. The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , or DSM-IV (1994), defines two subtypes of anorexia nervosa—a restricting type, characterized by strict dieting and exercise without binge eating; and a binge-eating/purging type, marked by episodes of compulsive eating with or without self-induced vomiting and the use of laxatives or enemas . DSM-IV defines a binge as a time-limited (usually under two hours) episode of compulsive eating in which the individual consumes a significantly larger amount of food than most people would eat in similar circumstances.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by self-starvation, unrealistic fear of weight gain, and conspicuous distortion of body image.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and becoming fat. Because of this fear, the affected individual starves herself or himself, and the person's weight falls to about 85% (or less) of the normal weight for age and height.

A psychiatric disorder characterized by a distorted body image leading the person to believe that she is overweight even when she is dangerously underweight. Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric disorder in which a person's (usually a girl's) distorted body image leads her to believe that she is overweight even when she is dangerously underweight. Anorectics employ a number of weight-loss strategies, including fasting, dieting, exercise, induced vomiting, and laxative abuse. A girl is considered anorexic when her weight drops below 85% of what is expected for her height and age. Anorexia typically affects adolescent girls; the average age of onset is 13.7 years. Girls with anorexia tend to be perfectionists with a deep-seated need to feel in control. Environmental factors may play a role in the development of anorexia. Although not all anorectics' family situations will fit these generalizations, parents of anorectics tend to be rigid and overprotective, and they often avoid open discussion of problems and tensions.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by an extreme reduction in food intake leading to potentially life-threatening weight loss. This syndrome is marked by an intense, irrational fear of weight gain or excess body fat, accompanied by a distorted perception of body weight and shape. The onset is usually in the middle to late teens and is rarely seen in females over age forty. Among women of menstruating age with this disorder, amenorrhea is common. A clinical diagnosis of anorexia nervosa necessitates body weight less than 85 percent of average for weight and height. Subtypes of this disorder include the binge eating/purging type (bingeing and purging are present) or the restricting type (bingeing and purging are absent). SEE ALSO A DDICTION , F OOD ; B ODY I MAGE ; B ULIMIA N ERVOSA ; E ATING D ISORDERS ; E ATING D ISTURBANCES . Karen Ansel

The eating disorder known as anorexia nervosa is commonly described as "self-starvation." Characteristics of the disorder include a refusal to maintain a minimally normal weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, a disturbed and unrealistic body image, and (in women) the absence of menstrual periods. (Low body weight and/or the cessation of menses distinguishes anorexia from the related disorder, bulimia.) Sufferers may starve themselves simply by restricting the amount of calories or types of food they consume; or there can be a pattern of excessive binge eating followed by purging through self-induced vomiting, inappropriate use of laxatives or enemas, or excessive exercise. Female gender, low self-esteem, genetics, and social emphasis on thinness all increase the risk for this condition. The consequences of untreated anorexia can be severe, including electrolyte disturbances, heart rhythm abnormalities, and death. Treatment usually involves psychotherapy, medication, nutrition education, and family therapy. L EONARD J. H AAS T RISH P ALMER ( SEE ALSO : Eating Disorders ; Menstrual Cycle ; Mental Health ; Nutrition ; Social Determinants )