A psychological disturbance resulting in a refusal to eat, possibly with restriction to a very limited range of foods, and often accompanied by a rigid programme of vigorous physical exercise, to the point of exhaustion. The result is a very considerable loss of weight, with tissue atrophy and a fall in basal metabolic rate. It is especially prevalent among adolescent girls; when body weight falls below about 45 kg there is a cessation of menstruation.
An eating disorder characterized by refusal or inability to maintain minimum normal weight for age and height, combined with intense fear of gaining weight, denial of the seriousness of current low weight, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, and, in females, amenorrhea (failure to menstruate). Weight is typically 15% or more below normal, and it may decrease to life-threatening extremes. In the restricting subtype, the person does not engage regularly in binge eating. In the binge-eating/purging, or bulimic, subtype, the person engages in recurrent episodes of binge eating or purging during the episode of anorexia nervosa.
A disorder marked by severe and prolonged refusal to eat, with severe weight loss, amenorrhea or impotence, disturbance of body image, and an intense fear of becoming obese. Most frequently encountered in girls and young women. May be associated with bulimia.
A psychological eating disorder, usually seen in young women, who intentionally starve themselves.
An eating disorder characterized by marked self-induced weight loss accompanied by reproductive hormonal changes and an intense fear of fatness.
Psychological problem causing extreme loss of appetite and drastic weight loss.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which people with the disorder perceive that they are too heavy, even though they are underweight. This perception results in a refusal or inability to maintain a normal body weight.
A psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive self-starvation that, when carried to extremes, results in death is chiefly found among white females between the ages of 13 and 30 years. A profile that has been formulated includes girls who (a) are extremely well-behaved; (b) are high achievers; and (c) are physically hyperactive.
An eating disorder characterized by distorted self-image and extreme thinness; can be life-threatening.
A disorder that involves strictly limiting food intake, extreme weight loss, and a distorted self-image.
A condition of conscious reduction of food intake that is frequently observed in females in their teens and twenties. It is related to their inaccurate perception of their body fatness. These patients are characterized by little body fat. Because ovulation requires a minimal amount of fat in the body, ovulation ceases. Amenorrhea, hypothermia, hypotension also develop and, if unrecognized and untreated, anorexics may starve to death. Some patients spontaneously correct their condition and resume normal eating patterns. Anorexic people have physiological/biochemical features that are similar to individuals who are starving. Their catabolic hormone levels are high and their body energy stores are being raided as a result. Insulin resistance due to the catabolic hormones is observed. Liver and muscle glycogen levels are low. Severe protein depletion occurs. Fat stores are minimal. As the weight loss proceeds further, these individuals have a reduced bone mass (decreased mineral content of the bone), a decreased metabolic rate, decreased heart rate, hypo¬ glycemia, hypothyroidism, electrolyte imbalance, elevated free fatty acid and cholesterol levels, peripheral edema, and lastly, cardiac and renal failure. When their fat stores fall below 2% of total body weight, they will die. When food intake is restored, there is a preferential deposition of adipose tissue in the abdomen. This is a short-term response to refeeding.
The literal translation of anorexia nervosa is lack of appetite. The first case of anorexia nervosa cited in the literature was in 1686 by Dr. Richard Morton. He described “nervous consumption” of a woman who appeared as if she were a skeleton with skin and had coldness of the body, diminished appetite, uneasy digestion, and fainting spells. Anorexia nervosa is defined in Costin (1999) as an eating disorder that is often life- threatening. A person with anorexia nervosa engages in a relentless pursuit of thinness. Also according to the Sourcebook, there are two types of anorexia nervosa. The restricting type involves low nutritional intake; the binge- purge type involves alternate episodes of binge eating or purging behavior. The disorder qualifies as a mental disorder according to criteria set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—Fourth Edition.
A type of mental disorder, psychiatrically classified as an eating disorder, involving self-starvation through dieting but also often through induced vomiting and laxative abuse (characteristic of the related eating disorder bulimia nervosa). People with anorexia nervosa have not necessarily lost their appetite, as the term anorexia implies; they are, in fact, often obsessed with food, sometimes hoarding or concealing it, but their intense fear of gaining weight and being fat leads them to reduce their food intake drastically. They also have a distorted body image, imagining that they are fat even when they are emaciated, with a body weight often 15 to 25 percent under normal body weight for their age. Even before onset, only about a third of anorexics are even mildly over¬ weight, and they rarely are obese.
An eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and brought on by psychological problems.
Emotional disorder, occurring most commonly in adolescent females, characterized by abnormal body image, fear of obesity, and prolonged refusal to eat, and leading to emaciation, amenorrhea, and other symptoms, and sometimes resulting in death. Treatment includes psychotherapy and nourishment.
Disorder characterized by not eating due to a morbid fear of weight gain, resulting in severe emaciation.
An eating disorder primarily found in adolescent girls or young women, in which the patient refuses to eat or exhibits abnormal eating patterns that if not treated can lead to severe weight loss, malnutrition, and death.
A mental illness in which a person refuses to maintain normal body weight, is extremely afraid of gaining weight, and has a distorted image of his or her body, such as describing it as obese even when it is extremely thin. People with anorexia usually lose weight by restricting the amount and type of food they eat. In one type of anorexia similar to bulimia, some people engage in binge eating, or they purge themselves with self-induced vomiting, laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. People with anorexia may also exercise excessively. The disease primarily affects females, particularly during adolescence, but it also affects women at other ages, and, rarely, men.
A psychological illness, most common in female adolescents, in which the patients have no desire to eat; eating may, in fact, be abhorrent to them. The problem often starts with a simple desire to lose weight, which then becomes an obsession. The result is severe loss of weight and sometimes even death from starvation. The cause of the illness is complicated—problems within the family and rejection of adult sexuality are often factors involved. Patients must usually be treated by psychotherapy.
An eating disorder marked by weight loss, emaciation, a disturbance in body image, and a fear of weight gain that results in self-imposed starvation. Patients with the disorder lose weight either by excessive dieting, compulsive exercising, self-induced vomiting, or laxative or diuretic abuse to purge themselves of calories they have ingested. The illness is typically found in industrialized nations and usually begins in the teenaged years. Young women are 10 to 20 times more likely than men to suffer from the disorder. Weight loss of greater than 15% of body weight is typical, often with significant anorexia metabolic consequences. These may include severe electrolyte disturbances, hypoproteinemia with associated edema, and endocrine dysfunction. Immune disturbances, anemia, and secondary cardiac arrhythmias may occur. In women, amenorrhea is also characteristically accompanied by infertility and loss of libido. Repeated vomiting can cause esophageal erosion, ulceration, tears, and bleeding, as well as dental caries and tooth and gum erosion. The disease often resists therapy.
An eating disorder characterized by self-inflicted starvation and dramatic weight loss. An anorexic is obsessed with achieving thinness.
An eating disorder that involves self-starvation, a distorted body image, and low body weight.
A serious eating disorder in which a person refuses to eat enough food to maintain normal body weight.
Serious illness of deliberate self-starvation with profound psychiatric and physical components.
A psychoneurotic disorder that involves a long-term refusal to eat, resulting in emaciation, lack of menstrual cycles, emotional disturbance regarding body image, and an abnormal fear of becoming fat.
The act of incessant dieting until a state of malnourishment is reached is a common trait of individuals with a pathological fear of weight gain. Such individuals are known to possess an exaggerated and distorted view of their physical appearance.
An alarming eating disorder marked by severe weight reduction, distorted perception of one’s body, and an intense dread of gaining weight.
There exists an eating disorder marked by significant weight loss and distorted self-perception, causing individuals to perceive themselves as overweight despite being dangerously underweight in reality.
The causes of anorexia remain uncertain, but this condition may be associated with diminished self-worth, resulting in heightened preoccupation with physical appearance. Individuals affected by anorexia may perceive a sense of control over their lives by exerting control over their eating habits. What initially begins as normal dieting can progress into a state of starvation.
Anorexia nervosa primarily impacts adolescent girls and young women, although there has been a noticeable increase in its occurrence among young men.
During the initial phases, individuals with anorexia nervosa may display hyperactivity and engage in excessive exercise. They develop an obsession with food, often preparing intricate meals for others but showing reluctance to participate in social eating themselves. As their weight loss progresses, they experience fatigue and weakness, along with dry skin. Fine, downy hair known as lanugo appears on the body, while normal hair becomes thinner. The state of starvation frequently results in amenorrhea, the absence of menstrual periods, in many women.
Certain individuals with anorexia nervosa may engage in episodes of food binges, followed by self-induced vomiting, or the use of laxatives or diuretic drugs, in an attempt to facilitate weight loss. Starvation, with or without purging, can lead to chemical imbalances that pose the risk of life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.
In many cases, hospitalization is essential for the treatment of anorexia nervosa, which typically involves a closely monitored feeding regimen coupled with psychotherapy or family therapy. Antidepressant medication may be beneficial for certain individuals. However, it is important to note that many sufferers experience relapses even after treatment, necessitating long-term psychotherapy for sustained recovery.
A condition that manifests in certain unhappy, neurotic, and young females, leading to severe weight loss while maintaining an unusual ability to stay alive and mobile. This condition is marked by a strong aversion to food, significant wasting, the cessation of menstrual periods, and hair loss. Effective treatment often requires extensive psychoanalysis to uncover the underlying reasons driving this form of self-destructive behavior. Such a condition may develop following emotional turmoil or upheaval.