Anorexia Nervosa is characterized primarily by self-starvation, excessive weight loss and an intense fear of gaining weight.

The primary symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa are:

• Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height and age (e.g., weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected; or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected).

• Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat” even though underweight.

• Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.

• In postmenarcheal females, amenorrhea, i.e., the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles.  (A woman is considered to have amenorrhea if her periods occur only following hormone, e.g., estrogen, administration.)

There are two subtypes of Anorexia Nervosa:

• Restricting Type:  during the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has not regularly engaged in binge eating or purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas).

• Binge-Eating/Purging Type:  during the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in binge eating or purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas).