What is anorexia nervosa?
Anorexia nervosa (anorexia) is an eating disorder with both physical and emotional traits. A person with anorexia is very underweight, yet the person severely limits the amount of food he or she eats, has a distorted body image,cannot maintain a healthy body weight, and is intensely afraid of gaining weight. Long-term or severe anorexia can lead to starvation, serious health problems, and even death.

Anorexia can become a lifelong illness, although it is possible to fully recover with proper treatment.

What causes anorexia?

The cause of anorexia is not known, although certain personality traits (such as perfectionism) and a family history of eating disorders may contribute. There may be a genetic link, since a person's chances of developing anorexia increase if a sister, brother, or parent has the condition. Anorexia is more frequently found in athletes or people in professions that require thinness, such as modeling and ballet.

What are the symptoms of anorexia?

Common feelings and actions linked to anorexia include:

1.Intense fear of gaining weight.
2.Restricting food or types of food, such as food containing any kind of fat.
3.Weighing less than 85% of expected body weight. (In a child or teen, losing or not gaining weight during a growth spurt is a concern.)
4.Seeing your body as overweight, even though you are underweight.
5.Overexercising.
6.Secrecy around food and not seeing or wanting to talk about a problem with eating.

Common signs of malnutrition from anorexia include:

1.Low body weight.
2.Constipation and slow emptying of the stomach.
3.Thinning hair, dry skin, and brittle nails.
4.Shrunken breasts.
5.Stopping or never getting a monthly menstrual period.
6.Feeling cold, with a lower-than-normal body temperature.
7.Low blood pressure.
8.Slow heartbeat, less than 60 beats per minute.
9.Not feeling pain as you normally would.
10.Purplish skin color on the arms and legs from poor blood circulation.
11.Swollen feet and hands.
12.Yellow-orange skin, especially on the palms of the hands.
13.Some people with anorexia nervosa also make themselves vomit. Breakdown of the tooth enamel is a common symptom of long-term vomiting.

How is anorexia diagnosed?
There are no specific tests to diagnose anorexia. However, a medical history and physical examination, including assessing body mass index (BMI) to determine whether the person is underweight, will be done. A mental health assessment may also be taken to help the doctor decide whether anorexia and associated medical conditions, such as depression, are present.