Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is more common amongst girls and women, however boys and men can also be effected. It usually develops in adolescence or young adulthood. It is generally characterised by excessive calorie restriction, weight loss and distorted body image perception. Even though it seems eating disorders are entirely about food and dieting, they are very complex emotional issues.
People who have anorexia are normally underweight, even though they do not perceive themselves to be, and try to keep reducing their weight through calorie restriction, excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, laxatives or other forms of purging to get rid of the calories.
To be diagnosed with anorexia the following symptoms must be present (according to the DSM):
1. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height e.g. weight loss
leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected; or failure to make expected weight gain
during period of growth, leading to body weight being less than 85% of that expected.
2. Intense fear of becoming fat or overweight, even though underweight.
3. Disturbance in the way in which one's body shape or weight is experienced, undue influence of body image on
self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
4. In post-menarcheal females, amenorrhoea e.g. the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles.
Anorexia can also be divided into two subtypes:
Restricting Type During the current episode of anorexia nervosa, the person has not regularly
engaged in binge-eating or purging behaviour e.g. self-induced vomiting or the
misuse of laxatives, enemas or diuretics.
Binge-Eating/Purging Type During the current episode of anorexia nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in
binge-eating OR purging behaviour e.g. self-induced vomiting or the misuse of
laxatives,enemas or diuretics.
People who have anorexia are normally underweight, even though they do not perceive themselves to be, and try to keep reducing their weight through calorie restriction, excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, laxatives or other forms of purging to get rid of the calories.
To be diagnosed with anorexia the following symptoms must be present (according to the DSM):
1. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height e.g. weight loss
leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected; or failure to make expected weight gain
during period of growth, leading to body weight being less than 85% of that expected.
2. Intense fear of becoming fat or overweight, even though underweight.
3. Disturbance in the way in which one's body shape or weight is experienced, undue influence of body image on
self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
4. In post-menarcheal females, amenorrhoea e.g. the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles.
Anorexia can also be divided into two subtypes:
Restricting Type During the current episode of anorexia nervosa, the person has not regularly
engaged in binge-eating or purging behaviour e.g. self-induced vomiting or the
misuse of laxatives, enemas or diuretics.
Binge-Eating/Purging Type During the current episode of anorexia nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in
binge-eating OR purging behaviour e.g. self-induced vomiting or the misuse of
laxatives,enemas or diuretics.