Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterised by the following prominent clinical features: 1. It occurs much more often in females as compared to the males. The common age of onset is adolescence (13-19 years of age). 2. There is an intense fear of becoming obese. This fear does not decrease even if the body becomes very thin and underweight. 3. There is often a body-image disturbance. The person is unable to perceive own body size accurately. 4. There is a refusal to maintain the body weight above a minimally normal weight for that age, sex and height. 5. Significant weight loss occurs, usually more than 25% of the original weight. The final weight is usually 15% less than the minimum limit of normal weight (for that age, sex and height) or a Quetelet's body-mass index (BMI) of 17.5 or less 6. No known medical illness, which can account for the weight loss, is present. 7. An absence of any other primary psychiatric disorder. 8. Amenorrhoea, primary or secondary, is often present in females. Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterised by the following clinical features: 1. Bulimia nervosa usually has an onset in early teens or adolescence. 2. There is an intense fear of becoming obese. There may be an earlier history of anorexia nervosa. 3. There is usually body-image disturbance and the person is unable to perceive own body size accurately. 4. There is a persistent preoccupation with eating and an irresistible craving for food. There are episodes of overeating in which large amounts of food are consumed within sho periods of time (eating binges). 5. There are attempts to 'counteract' the effects of overeating by one or more of the following: self-induced vomiting, purgative abuse, periods of starvation, and/or use of drugs such as appetite suppressants. 6. No known medical illness is present which can account for the disorder. 7. An absence of any other primary psychiatric disorder. Ref: A Sho Textbook of Psychiatry, Niraj Ahuja, 7th Edition, pg. no. 142, 144