Eating Disorders: anorexia nervosa

xshortiex

From everything I've ever heard and/or read about anorexia nervosa (or most other EDs, for that matter) one major criteria is being underweight. Does this mean if a person is not underweight, but they display other signs of anorexia, they are still not considered anorexic?

Bentley2718

Being underweight is part of the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa, but not for other eating disorders. For example, you can be diagnosed as bulimic or having some type of binge eating disorder without being underweight.

Addendum, both the DSM-IV-TR and the ICD-10 (both diagnostic manuals for healthcare providers) require that one be underweight in order to be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, however, dangerous eating behaviors, including other behaviors that are considered part of diagnosable eating disorders can occur at any weight.

LeenaRuns

Absolutely not. Being underweight is the a result of anorexia, not a symptom. You can be overweight, but if you display classic symptoms (periods of not eating, etc.) you can be diagnosed with this dangerous ED.

sionnain

There are people that are seriously ill with anorexia and are not underweight. It doesn't mention they HAVE to be underweight here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001401/ You could be 400 lbs and lose 200 unhealthily in a short period of time and be at serious risk. You might know someone is suffering and it's not obvious.

rabbit__food

They would most likely be considered EDNOS, Eating Disorder not Otherwise Specified.

virichi08

They are still anorexic.... just because you hvnt REACHED underweight status doesnt mean one isn't anorexic... (many bulimics arent underweight)

jadedzen

Check out the DSM for complete descriptions but I'd guess the diagnosis would be EDNOS with anorectic tendencies.

sarahkatara

Being underweight is not the deciding criteria. There are many symptoms and other "qualifying" factors to determine if someone has anorexia. If you think you or someone you know may have an eating disorder, visit this site for support, resources, and information.
http://www.somethingfishy.org.
Feel free to send me a private message if you'd like more information on that. :flowerforyou:

sunshine_gem

Being underweight is just a visible symptom of anorexia and usually means it's been going on for a long time. If they display other signs, not eating, obsessing about food, over exercising, thinking they're still fat etc then yes, they can still be considered as anorexic. It can depend on the person though and doesn't mean that every person who's obsessing about food or thinks they're fat is anorexic.

chivalryder

What scares me if how many people on here that would fall under that category, encourage it, and/or are happy to be that way...

jadedzen

They are still anorexic.... just because you hvnt REACHED underweight status doesnt mean one isn't anorexic... (many bulimics arent underweight)

actually one of the criteria for an anorexia nervosa diagnosis is being 15% underweight.

roachhaley

I always thought that was bull****. So you can only be anorexic once you "look" anorexic? If they would diagnose it earlier and nip it in the bud it would help a lot.

NewFitKeri

Your weight has nothing to do with a diagnosis of an ED. I have been both ana/mia as a teenager and young adult and I was bigger than most. Thankfully, I have found a great relationship and view on food and am no longer destroying my body and metabolism!

mynameiscarrie

Absolutely not. Being underweight is the a result of anorexia, not a symptom. You can be overweight, but if you display classic symptoms (periods of not eating, etc.) you can be diagnosed with this dangerous ED.

this is false. Underweight is one of the criteria. If someone is displaying symptoms and isn't underweight, they're most likely going to be classified as EDNOS (ED not otherwise specified).

Eating Disorder Diagnostic Criteria from DSM IV-TR
307.1 Anorexia Nervosa
* Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height, for example, weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected.

That's the first diagnostic criteria.


ETA: for clarification--eating disorders are diagnosed by a lot of factors, but in order to have a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa on your file, you have to be underweight.

Coco_UK

What scares me if how many people on here that would fall under that category, encourage it, and/or are happy to be that way...

What do you mean by 'it?

Not having a dig, just curious.

etherealdoll

Being underweight is necessary for the diagnosis of anorexia, and if you have all the other symptoms of anorexia (restricting intake, disturbed body image, etc) but are still a normal weight it would be diagnosed as EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified).

rlmadrid

It is important to note that a person is symptomatically anorexic for a period of time before they may be dangerously underweight. Classification is based on multiple criteria. Being underweight (15%) is one of those criteria, but the disorder is primarily psychological. Often the person is within or below a healthy weight range at the start. It is quite rare that an overweight person will have anorexic tendencies due to a difference in their relationship with food. That's when the EDNOS is usually used.

Edit: I'm trying to say that it's semantics. Diagnosis differs from prominence of symptoms. I don't have my Developmental Psychology textbook at work to quote though :frown:

rlmadrid

What scares me if how many people on here that would fall under that category, encourage it, and/or are happy to be that way...

I have come across people who say they are "recovering anorexics" but then have a goal weight of 90-94 lbs. That counts.
However, I do think there is a bit of subjectivity involved for people diagnosing others on the internet.

Raynne413

No, they don't have to be underweight. I was anorexic but according to the weight charts (due to my muscle), I was a "normal" weight. Yet I was freezing all the time, losing hair, passing out at 8 pm because I had no energy, I barely ate 900 calories a day, yet was working out 3 hours. I freaked out about going to dinner with my family and friends, especially if it was somewhere that didn't have calorie information available. My estrogen levels were non-existent, and I was having horrible night sweats. My triglycerides were high, although all of my other numbers were fine. When I told my endocrinologist I had been diagnosed with an eating disorder (came up because I refused to weigh) he actually apologized to me and said he couldn't believe he had missed all the signs (because I kept complaining about my symptoms but he wasn't taking it as whole, but only looking at them individually).

PortiaZabrina

You can be overweight and still be anorexic. When people start dieting, some cut back TOO TOO TOO much, they might refer to this eating pattern as a "quick fix." What the general population recognizes as anorexic going by physical appearance is what happens after long term anorexic behaviours, but remember, you won't look like that when you start off. And that is how you can have an anorexic obese person.
Helpful tip, people with bulimia and anorexia nervosa tend to crave peanut butter. A normal person would get their craving satisfied in maybe a few tablespoons, but someone with an eating disorder craves it so much they can consume an entire bucket of peanut butter.
Some other helpful warning signs of anorexic/bulimic behaviour in an obese person is the use of laxatives, eating quickly, going to the bathroom right after a meal, lots of water while they eat, if they seem they are 'counting their chews' to name a few.
And please note that if you recognize some signs of an eating disorder in someone, don't tell them to just stop it. It WILL worsen the problem. They need professional help.

Raynne413

OMG, the peanut butter thing is definitely STILL me if I let myself get too far into a deficit, which is the main reason why I am using MyFitnessPal.

Nooshkabob

You can be overweight and still be anorexic.

I'd like to clarify that you WON'T be diagnosed with anorexia unless your BMI is under 17.5. If you have all the symptoms but are not underweight you will be diagnosed as EDNOS.

Helpful tip, people with bulimia and anorexia nervosa tend to crave peanut butter. A normal person would get their craving satisfied in maybe a few tablespoons, but someone with an eating disorder craves it so much they can consume an entire bucket of peanut butter.

Not necessarily. I've had anorexia and only once the entire time did i crave peanut butter. And if you restrict rather than b/p then i doubt you'd manage even half a bucket of peanut butter.

And please note that if you recognize some signs of an eating disorder in someone, don't tell them to just stop it. It WILL worsen the problem. They need professional help.

Definitely agree with this last one though...

healthychanges1

They are still anorexic.... just because you hvnt REACHED underweight status doesnt mean one isn't anorexic... (many bulimics arent underweight)

actually one of the criteria for an anorexia nervosa diagnosis is being 15% underweight.

Exactly. A person with anorexic tendencies, but who is healthy or overweight, would be considered EDNOS. That doesn't undermine the severity of the eating disorder, it just changes the diagnosis. Please know what you are actually saying before you answer.
-Coming from someone who was in residential eating disorder treatment and is VERY familiar with the current DSM.