ANOREXIA NERVOSA
INTRODUCTION Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder motivated by the desire to maintain as low a body weight as possible. Sufferers will often restrict their food intake or even starve themselves completely to prevent weight gain, otherwise they may exercise excessively. DEFINITION Anorexia nervosa is a DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed.) diagnosis assigned to individuals who become preoccupied with maintaining a low body weight. A serious psychological disorder, anorexia nervosa is characterized by abnormal attitudes towards food that affect the sufferer’s behavior and eating habits, often with physical, psychological and social consequences. PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE Estimated to affect young women more often than males, anorexia nervosa is diagnosed in approximately 0.4 per cent of young females each year. The disorder also affects men but less is known about the prevalence of anorexia nervosa among males. However, the condition is thou...