Overview

Anorexia nervosa is a condition where a person takes extreme measures, such as self-starvation or excessive exercising, to lose weight. The most troubling characteristic of anorexia nervosa is that even a very thin person may believe they are fat and continue to lose weight, even to the point of severe malnutrition or death.

Although girls and women are most often affected, boys and men can also suffer from anorexia nervosa. The first symptoms of anorexia nervosa often begin by the teenage years, but for some, the illness does not begin until adulthood. People who develop anorexia nervosa are often "perfectionists" and tend to push themselves to achieve difficult goals.

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder in which a person loses weight and maintains a weight lower than normally expected. Often (but not always) people who develop anorexia nervosa become preoccupied with thoughts about dieting and other methods of weight loss (such as exercise). Foods containing fat are typically avoided.

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder in which a person loses weight and maintains a weight lower than normally expected. Often (but not always) people who develop anorexia nervosa become preoccupied with thoughts about dieting and other methods of weight loss (such as exercise). Foods containing fat are typically avoided.

Bulimia nervosa is a condition where a person engages in episodes of secretive binge eating, consuming huge amounts of food quickly, often to the point of pain. After bingeing, the person often feels ashamed and tries to purge their body through forced vomiting, laxative and diuretic use, or excessive exercise. People who engage in episodes of binge eating but do not purge may have binge eating disorder (BED).

Bulimia nervosa is a disorder marked by repeated binge-eating (eating large amounts of food while feeling out of control) and some attempt to counteract the eating by dieting, exercise, or other extreme behaviours (such as self-induced vomiting or laxative misuse). Often, people with bulimia nervosa feel dissatisfied with their bodies and are very sensitive to changes in their weight.

At first her parents didn't notice the subtle changes in Kathy's appearance and behaviour. A top athlete and honour roll student, she was always critical of her body size and shape. She would exercise compulsively, doing sit-ups, doing pushups, and running up and down the stairs. Although she seemed preoccupied with food, she became a vegetarian and would leave most of her food uneaten at meals.

Obesity simply means an accumulation of body fat. In the medical world, it is determined by using the body mass index (BMI), which measures weight in relation to your height. To calculate your BMI, go to our Body mass index calculator. Obesity is classified in three ways: obese Class I (mild) - 20% to 40% overweight obese Class II (moderate) - 41% to 100% overweight obese Class III (severe) - more than 100% overweight (only occurs in 0.