Psychiatry - UNC School of Medicine
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What is Anorexia Nervosa (AN)?
(from www.aedweb.org)
Eating disorders can be recognized by a persistent pattern of unhealthy eating or dieting behavior. These patterns of eating behavior are associated with emotional, physical, and social distress. Eating disorders do not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, or race. They can be found in both genders, all age groups, and across a wide variety of races and ethnic backgrounds.
Although there are formal guidelines that health care professionals use to diagnose eating disorders [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) (American Psychiatric Association, 2000)], unhealthy eating behaviors exist on a continuum. Even if a person does not meet formal criteria for an eating disorder, she or he may be experiencing unhealthy eating behaviors that cause substantial distress and may be detrimental to both physical and psychological health.
What is Anorexia Nervosa?
Individuals with anorexia nervosa are unable or unwilling to maintain a body weight that is normal or expected for their age and height. Typically, this means that a person is less than 85% of their expected weight. Even when underweight, individuals with anorexia continue to be fearful of weight gain. Their thoughts and feelings about their size and shape have profound impact on their sense of self and their self-esteem. They often do not recognize or admit the seriousness of their weight loss and deny that it may have permanent adverse health consequences. Women with anorexia nervosa often stop having their periods.
There are two subtypes of anorexia nervosa. In the restricting subtype, people maintain their low body weight purely by restricting food intake and, possibly, by exercise. Individuals with the binge-eating/purging type also restrict their food intake, but also regularly engage in binge eating and/or purging behaviors such as self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas. Many people move back and forth between subtypes during the course of their illness.
For further information on anorexia nervosa and eating disorders in general, please consult the resources in the Study-Related Links section of our website.