Anorexia nervosa is a potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation, excessive weight loss and negative body image.
Anorexia can affect individuals of all genders, races and ethnicities. While most common among females, about 10-15% of all individuals with anorexia are males.
People of all ages develop anorexia but it is most common for onset to occur during adolescence. In fact, anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents in the United States.
Restriction of energy intake relative to requirement, leading to a significantly low body weight in the context of age, sex, developmental trajectory, and physical health.
Intense fear of gaining weight or of becoming fat, or persistent behavior that interferes with weight gain, even though at a significantly low weight
Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or persistent lack of recognition of the seriousness of the current low body weight. Weight loss is of primary importance and it begins to take precedence in life roles and responsibilities
Dramatic weight loss, or failure to make expected weight gains during periods of normal growth (i.e. during childhood, adolescence, pregnancy)
Excessive weighing of oneself; setting progressively lower and lower goal weights
Other body checking behaviors such as looking in mirrors, measuring or assessing body parts or frequently asking others for reassurance with questions like "do I look fat?"
Changes in weight, even slight fluctuations up or down, have a significant impact on mood and self-evaluation
Frequent comments about feeling "fat" or overweight despite weight loss
Body distortions focused on particular parts of their body being "fat"
Excessive exercise - adhering to a rigid exercise regimen despite foul weather, fatigue, illness or injury.
Low pulse and B/P, amenorrhea, dehydration, fatigue, dry skin, brittle hair and nails Recurring pattern of binge eating followed by dangerous compensatory behaviors in an effort to counteract or "undo" the calories consumed during the binge.
People with bulimia often feel trapped in this cycle of dysregulated eating, and there is a risk for major medical consequences associated with bulimic behaviors.
Research has provided varying results but conservative estimates regarding bulimia indicate that about 1.5% of women and .5% of men will have bulimia at some point in their lifetime.
In certain populations, prevalence rates are much higher, such as on college campuses where up to 20% of college-age females endorse symptoms of bulimia.
Recurrent episodes of binge eating
Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors (such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, fasting, or excessive exercise) in order to prevent weight gain
The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least 1x/week for 3 months.
Self-esteem is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
Unlike with anorexia, individuals with bulimia often realize that they have a problem and may feel very embarrassed or ashamed about their behavior
The recurrent binge-and-purge cycles can affect the entire digestive system and lead to electrolyte imbalances that affect the heart, lead to tooth decay (from stomach acid), swollen glands, ulcers, infertility, dehydration and constipation.
Difficult to detect because patients are often of normal weight and may not disclose their abnormal eating behaviors.
Sometimes adhering to a rigid exercise regimen - often accompanying periods of fasting to counteract or "prepare" for binge episodes. This behavior is sometimes referred to as "exercise bulimia"