What is anorexia?

Anorexia is a type of eating disorder. People who have it have an intense fear of gaining weight. They strictly limit the amount of food they eat and can become so thin that it becomes a danger to them.

Anorexia is both a physical and emotional problem. It almost always begins with a strict weight-loss diet. Over time, strictly limiting foods leads to malnutrition and unhealthy weight loss.

It usually starts in the teen years. And it's much more common in females than in males. The earlier the problem is treated, the better the chances are that someone with anorexia can recover. If not treated, it can lead to serious health problems and starvation.

People who have anorexia often strongly deny that they have a problem. It's most often up to their loved ones to get help for them. If you're worried about someone, you can look for certain signs.

People who have anorexia:

• Weigh much less than is healthy or normal.
• Are very afraid of gaining weight.
• Refuse to stay at a normal weight.
• Think they are overweight even when they are very thin.
• Deny the seriousness of their low body weight.
• Base their self-esteem on how they view their body weight and shape.

Their lives become focused on controlling their weight. They may:

• Obsess about food, weight, and dieting.
• Strictly limit how much they eat.
• Have special ways of eating food or making it look like they've eaten when they haven't.
• Exercise a lot, even when they are sick.
• Vomit or use laxatives or water pills (diuretics) to avoid weight gain.

There is no single test that can diagnose anorexia. But this illness has a visible effect on your health and eating habits. If your doctor thinks that you may have anorexia, he or she will compare your weight with the expected weight for someone of your height and age. He or she will also check you for signs of malnutrition or starvation.

Common exams and tests for anorexia include:

• A medical history of your physical and emotional health.
• A physical exam. This may include checking your heart, lungs, blood pressure, weight, mouth, skin, and hair for problems from malnutrition.
• Screening questions about your eating habits.
• A mental health assessment, to check for depression or anxiety.
• Blood tests, to check for signs of malnutrition.
• X-rays. They can show if your bones have been weakened by malnutrition.

All people who have anorexia need treatment. Treatment can help you get back to and stay at a healthy weight.

Because anorexia is both a physical and an emotional problem, you may work with:

• A doctor. They will treat the medical conditions that have been caused by anorexia, such as osteoporosis, heart problems, or depression.
• A registered dietitian. They will help you learn healthy ways to eat and to understand what good nutrition is.
• A mental health professional. They will help you cope with the emotional reasons behind anorexia.

If your weight has dropped too low, you will need to be treated in a hospital.

There are no medicines to treat anorexia. But an antidepressant medicine may help if you also have depression, an anxiety disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Anorexia can take a long time to overcome. Many people have ups and downs. Try to think of treatment as an ongoing process.