Anorexia nervosa is low in prevalence, but high in medical consequence. The most common age of onset is 15 years (range 9-24 years).
As they consume too few calories for their basic needs, their bodies slowly waste away. By starving themselves, people with anorexia don’t get the nutrients they need for normal bodily functions.
The essential feature of anorexia nervosa is a constant inexplicable fear of being fat or eating, which increases with weight loss and does not change with reason.
The etiology of anorexia nervosa is multi-factorial with a combination of biological, psychological and socio-cultural factors contributing to the development of the disorder.
Common symptoms of anorexia nervosa including malnutrition, dehydration, lanugo which caused by body’s attempt to keep warm, edema and muscle atrophy.
Bulimia nervosa is eating disorder marked by binge eating and purging (self-induced vomiting). The person gorges, usually on high caloric foods, and intentionally vomits or uses laxatives or diuretics. Its far more common than anorexia in the United States.
Bulimia nervosa represents a failed attempt anorexia nervosa, sharing the goal of becoming very thin, but occurring in an individual less able to sustain prolonged semi-starvation or severe hunger as consistently as classic restricting anorexia nervosa patients.
Bulimia is from Greek word meaning ‘ox hunger’. The consequences are serious: dehydration, organ damage, internal bleeding from the stress or vomiting, tooth decay from acids in vomit, and in some cases, death.
Many people with these eating disorder alternate between anorexia and bulimia. Women with bulimia nervosa were more likely to binge while alone and during the morning or afternoon.
Reports indicate that 60 percent of people who have dieted extensively or starved themselves resort to bingeing, then purging to keep weight.
Anorexia and Bulimia
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