What is Anorexia Nervosa?
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is classified as having a distorted body image. There is a tremendous phobia associated with the consumption of food for fear that the individual will gain weight. An anorexic person will deny being underweight while maintaining a bodyweight of 15% below what their weight should be. The fear of gaining weight, and the skewed image as seen in the mirror, leads the individual to believe that s/he is fat. The preoccupation with food and weight begins to interfere with daily activities. Anorectics will attempt to use food and weight to deal with emotional problems. They avoid high calorie foods, exercise excessively, starve and strive for perfection. This is an adolescent disorder. The mean onset is 17 years old and usually occurs before a person reaches 25 years old. It is important to rule out other disorders that may have some of the same symptoms. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and phobic disorders have several similarities. Exclude those maladies before diagnosing an individual as anorexic.

Types of Anorexia
Anorexia Nervosa can be separated into two separate types.  Type A is the Restrictor Anorexic and Type B is the Binge-Eating/Purging Anorexic.

Type A: Restrictor
This person is rigid, obsessive and asocial. They will purge occasionally using laxatives, enemas, and diuretics.

Type B: Binge-Eating/Purging
This individual will binge and purge regularly. They are moody, social, outgoing, and have higher rates of impulsive behaviors (stealing, drug use, deliberate self-injurious behavior). This person is more likely to attempt suicide than the Restrictor anorexic. The bingeing and purging type is associated with psychopathology. They will alternate between rigid control and impulsiveness. They could have a history of yo-yo dieting and weight fluctuation. There might be a family history of obesity.

Who is at Risk for Anorexia?
Three percent of young women are afflicted with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder. Young girls are most vulnerable around the ages of 11 and 17. At 11 years old, a girl could be reaching puberty, which can increase fat in the body and yield anxiety. At the age of 17, a young woman is about to leave for college and there could be pressure to look a certain way or attract males. Those with an onset at 7-11 years of age often experience depression and obsessional behaviors. In adults, 1:10 anorexics are male. 20-30% of younger anorexics are male.  Anorexia is becoming more prevalent across demographics. Anorexia nervosa was thought of as a female disease that struck affluent, Caucasian women. Now, Hispanic and African American individuals are being affected, although African Americans are more likely to develop bulimia nervosa. Runners, gymnasts, and wrestlers are most susceptible to anorexia.

Anorexics and Food
A person suffering from anorexia nervosa still enjoys being around food. They often delight in preparing food and are very knowledgeable about food and the caloric content thereof. An anorexic person is relatively conversant on the subject of nutrition.