F50.1: Atypical anorexia nervosa

You have an eating disorder that is similar to anorexia nervosa.

You are not eating normally, as is the case with anorexia. However, you do not have all the indicators for anorexia.

One’s physical feeling is altered when one has anorexia. One pays great attention to how much energy one’s food has. The amount of food eaten is often well below the healthy daily calorific intake. Food may be avoided or vomited back up. This leads to self-induced weight loss. Weight can also be reduced by drugs such as appetite suppressants or laxatives. Weight loss can also be induced by excessive physical activity.

An eating disorder such as anorexia can also be identified using the Body Mass Index. The Body Mass Index can be calculated by dividing the body weight by the square of the person’s height in meters. If the Body Mass Index is below a certain value, it may indicate anorexia.

One may also have other physical symptoms. For example, the metabolism may change and the body’s messenger system may not be normal. This can stop women from having menstrual periods. Men can become impotent. But these symptoms may also be absent. The person’s hair may also fall out and their pulse may slow down. When children or adolescents have this eating disorder, growth disorders may occur.