Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by an obsessive fear of weight gain, refusal to maintain a healthy body weight, and distorted body image. According to Dr. Thomas Insel, former Director of National Institute of Mental Health, “Research tells us that Anorexia Nervosa is a brain disease with severe metabolic effects on the entire body.” Eating disorders do not discriminate between gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, race, body shape and size, or ethnicity — no one is immune.
Two subtypes of Anorexia Nervosa exist: the restricting subtype and the binge-eating/purging subtype. Individuals with the restricting subtype maintain their low body weight by significantly limiting their food intake. In the binge-eating/purging subtype, individuals restrict their food intake and routinely engage in binge-eating and/or purging behaviors. These behaviors may include self-induced vomiting, compulsive exercise, and abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas. Restriction of energy intake relative to an individual’s requirements leads to a significantly low body weight that can cause severe medical complications.
Two subtypes of Anorexia Nervosa exist: the restricting subtype and the binge-eating/purging subtype. Individuals with the restricting subtype maintain their low body weight by significantly limiting their food intake. In the binge-eating/purging subtype, individuals restrict their food intake and routinely engage in binge-eating and/or purging behaviors. These behaviors may include self-induced vomiting, compulsive exercise, and abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas. Restriction of energy intake relative to an individual’s requirements leads to a significantly low body weight that can cause severe medical complications.
