Anorexia is viewed as an eating disorder because it is characterized by abnormal eating behaviors that significantly affect a person's physical and mental health. Specifically, anorexia nervosa involves severe restriction of calorie intake, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image, which lead to dangerously low body weight and malnutrition. It is considered a mental health disorder because the behaviors are driven by psychological factors such as fear of weight gain, body image disturbances, and a persistent desire to be thin, rather than by choice or normal dieting. The diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa include:
- Failure to maintain a minimal healthy body weight.
- Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat.
- Distorted perception of body shape or weight.
- In some cases, behaviors like binge eating followed by purging (for the binge-eating/purging subtype).
- It can also involve excessive exercise or other compensatory behaviors.
Because these behaviors interfere with normal functioning and have severe medical consequences, anorexia is classified as a serious eating disorder and mental health condition. It shares features with other eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder but is distinct in its hallmark of extreme food restriction and low body weight. The disorder often begins in adolescence or young adulthood and has significant psychological and physical impacts, including high risks of complications and mortality without treatment.
