Definition:
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a distorted body image and self-starvation despite extremely low body-weight. An individual suffering from anorexia weigh less than 85 percent of his or her ideal weight and experiences extreme fear of gaining weight. This eating disorder primarily effects young women, but recent finding have shown an increase among middle-aged women and young men. Genetic influences, the influence of popular media images and a need for control have all been implicated as possible causes of anorexia nervosa.
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