What is Anorexia Nervosa?

What is Anorexia Nervosa?

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By Chloe Bennett, B.Sc.Reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Logan, MD, MPH

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• What is Anorexia?
• What Causes Anorexia?
• Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia
• Long-term Effects of Anorexia
• Diagnosing Anorexia
• Treatment for Anorexia
• Support for Anorexia

What is Anorexia?

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by the restriction of energy intake which leads to significantly low body weight. Thought to have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric condition, the average age of onset is 15 years, with approximately 80-90% of those diagnosed being female. It is twice as common in teenage girls, and those with the disorder typically have an extreme fear of putting on weight coupled with a distorted body image, and an inability to understand the seriousness of their low body weight.