Anorexia nervosa is characterized by low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Individuals with anorexia often control body weight by voluntary starvation, purging, vomiting, excessive exercise, or other weigh control measures, such as diet pills or diuretic drugs. It often primarily affects young adolescent... more

Bulimia Nervosa is a psychological condition in which the subject engages in recurrent binge eating followed by intentional purging. This purging is done in order to compensate for the excessive intake of the food and to prevent weight gain. Purging typically takes the form of vomiting; inappropriate use of laxatives... more

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is currently listed under Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified in the DSM-IV-TR.  In binge eating disorder, the person does not regularly engage in compensatory behaviors, such as, vomiting, fasting or doing strenuous exercise after binge eating.  Another eating disorder category under Eating Disorder NOS meets all the criteria for Bulimia except that binge eating and compensatory behaviors are less than two times per week or for less than three months.   Often, people with Binge Eating Disorder are overweight or obese.. more