What are the symptoms of anorexia nervosa?
Day three of our spotlight on eating disorders focuses on Anorexia Nervosa, detailing its DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria: low body weight, intense fear of weight gain, and body weight/shape disturbance. It describes two subtypes—restricting and binge/purge—and emphasizes that anorexia can be deadly, urging those with symptoms to seek medical help.
Day three of our spotlight on eating disorders covers off on Anorexia Nervosa, perhaps the most well known eating problem… Check out the criteria below to get an understanding of the DSM-5-TR’s categorisation of the eating disorder…
The diagnostic criteria:
A.Restriction of energy intake relative to requirements, leading to a significantly low body weight in the context of age, sex, developmental trajectory, and physical health. Significantly low weight is defined as a weight that is less than minimally normal or, for children and adolescents, less than that minimally expected.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), American Psychiatric Association, 2022
B. Intense fear of gaining weight or of becoming fat, or persistent behaviour that interferes with weight gain, even though at a significantly low weight.
C. Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or persistent lack of recognition of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
Anorexia Nervosa has two subtypes which need to be considered in addition to the above, these are:
Anorexia nervosa diagnoses may be specified as “in partial remission” or “in full remission”, and severity is determined by body mass index (BMI) with the lower BMI representing a higher level of severity.
Anorexia nervosa can be deadly due to high rates of medical risk and stress on the body. If you are experiencing symptoms such as those listed above, please speak to your doctor as soon as possible to discuss how you can be best supported.
