Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that makes people lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height. People with this disorder may have an intense fear of weight gain, even when they are underweight. They may diet or exercise too much, or use other methods to lose weight.

1. Fitango Education
Health Topics
Anorexia Nervosa
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2. Overview
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that makes
people lose more weight than is considered
healthy for their age and height. People with this
disorder may have an intense fear of weight
gain, even when they are underweight. They may
diet or exercise too much, or use other methods to
lose weight.
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3. Symptoms
To be diagnosed with anorexia, a person must:
• Have an intense fear of gaining weight or
becoming fat, even when she is underweight
• Refuse to keep weight at what is considered
normal for her age and height (15% or more below
the normal weight)
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4. Symptoms
• Have a body image that is very distorted, be
very focused on body weight or shape, and refuse
to admit the seriousness of weight loss
• Have not had a period for three or more
cycles (in women)
People with anorexia may severely limit the
amount of food they eat, or eat and then make
themselves throw up. Other behaviors include:
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5. Symptoms
• Cutting food into small pieces or moving
them around the plate instead of eating
• Exercising all the time, even when the
weather is bad, they are hurt, or their schedule is
busy
• Going to the bathroom right after meals
• Refusing to eat around other people
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6. Symptoms
• Using pills to make themselves urinate
(water pills or diuretics), have a bowel movement
(enemas and laxatives), or decrease their appetite
(diet pills)
Other symptoms of anorexia may include:
• Blotchy or yellow skin that is dry and covered
with fine hair
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7. Symptoms
• Confused or slow thinking, along with poor
memory or judgment
• Depression
• Dry mouth
• Extreme sensitivity to cold (wearing several
layers of clothing to stay warm)
• Loss of bone strength
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8. Symptoms
• Wasting away of muscle and loss of body fat
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9. Diagnosis
Tests should be done to help find the cause of
weight loss, or see what damage the weight loss
has caused. Many of these tests will be repeated
over time to monitor the patient.
These tests may include:
Albumin
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10. Diagnosis
Bone density test to check for thin bones
(osteoporosis)
CBC
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
Electrolytes
Kidney function tests
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11. Diagnosis
Liver function tests
Total protein
Thyroid function tests
Urinalysis
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12. Treatment
The biggest challenge in treating anorexia nervosa
is helping the person recognize that he or she has
an illness. Most people with anorexia deny that
they have an eating disorder. People often enter
treatment only once their condition is serious.
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13. Treatment
The goals of treatment are to restore normal body
weight and eating habits. A weight gain of 1 - 3
pounds per week is considered a safe goal.
A number of different programs have been
designed to treat anorexia. Sometimes the person
can gain weight by:• Increasing social activity
• Reducing the amount of physical activity
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14. Treatment
• Using schedules for eating
Many patients start with a short hospital stay and
continue to follow-up with a day treatment
program.
A longer hospital stay may be needed if:
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15. Treatment
• The person has lost a lot of weight (being
below 70% of their ideal body weight for their age
and height). For severe and life-
threatening malnutrition, the person may need to
be fed through a vein or stomach tube.
• Weight loss continues even with treatment
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16. Treatment
• Medical complications, such as heart
problems, confusion, or low potassium levels
develop
• The person has severe depression or thinks
about committing suicide
Care providers who are usually involved in these
programs include:
• Nurse practitioners
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17. Treatment
• Physicians
• Physician assistants
• Nutritionists or dietitians
• Mental health care providers
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18. Treatment
Treatment is often very difficult, and patients and
their families must work hard. Many therapies may
be tried until the patient overcomes this disorder.
Patients may drop out of programs if they have
unrealistic hopes of being "cured" with therapy
alone.
Different kinds of talk therapy are used to treat
people with anorexia:
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19. Treatment
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (a type of talk
therapy), group therapy, and family therapy have
all been successful.
• The goal of therapy is to change
patients' thoughts or behavior to encourage them
to eat in a healthier way. This kind of therapy is
more useful for treating younger patients who
have not had anorexia for a long time.
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20. Treatment
• If the patient is young, therapy may involve
the whole family. The family is seen as a part of the
solution, instead of the cause of the eating
disorder.
• Support groups may also be a part of
treatment. In support groups, patients and families
meet and share what they've been through.
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21. Treatment
Medications such as
antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood
stabilizers may help some anorexic patients when
given as part of a complete treatment program.
Examples include:
• Antidepressants, especially selective
serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
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22. Treatment
• Olanzapine (Zyprexa, Zydis) or other
antipsychotics
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23. Causes
The exact causes of anorexia nervosa are not
known. Many factors probably are involved. Genes
and hormones may play a role. Social
attitudes that promote very thin body types may
also be involved.
Family conflicts are no longer thought to
contribute to this or other eating disorders.
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24. Causes
Risk factors for anorexia include:• Being more
worried about, or paying more attention to, weight
and shape
• Having an anxiety disorder as a child
• Having a negative self-image
• Having eating problems during infancy or
early childhood
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25. Causes
• Having certain social or cultural ideas about
health and beauty
• Trying to be perfect or overly focused on
rules
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26. Causes
Anorexia usually begins during the teen years or
young adulthood. It is more common in
females, but may also be seen in males. The
disorder is seen mainly in white women who are
high academic achievers and who have a goal-
oriented family or personality.
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27. Additional Resources
Medline
Women's Health.gov
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