Anorexia nervosa is a potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by an extreme fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and deliberate attempts to lose weight through extreme dieting, purging behaviors, and excessive exercise. People with anorexia often exhibit an extreme concern with body weight and image, make excuses to go to the bathroom after eating, and may binge eat large amounts of food before purging through vomiting, laxatives, or over-exercising.