Anorexia Nervosa is defined by a refusal to maintain a normal body weight through self starvation leading to excessive weight loss. This disorder is fueled by an intense fear of gaining weight and a perceptual disturbance of actual body weight.

Females experience a loss of menstruation, along with other symptoms related to hormonal fluctuations. Anorexia Nervosa may have many potentially devastating effects on the body, such as a slowed heart rate, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, muscle loss, severe fatigue and general weakness.

While a majority of sufferers are girls and young women, Anorexia Nervosa can affect individuals of all ages, genders and ethnicities.

Symptoms include:

• Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height, body type, age and activity level Intense fear of weight gain or of “being fat”
• Feeling “fat” or overweight despite dramatic weight loss
• Loss of menstrual periods
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape

(National Eating Disorders Association, 2005)