In Latin, anorexia nervosa means “nervous want of appetite”. People with anorexia starve themselves by eating far too little food. Eventually they become dangerously thin -- yet they still see themselves as fat. People with this eating disorder may become so undernourished that they have to be hospitalized.

A person with anorexia becomes obsessed about food and weight. Some people develop strange eating rituals and may refuse to eat in front of other people. Many people with anorexia seem to care a lot about food. They may collect cookbooks and prepare sumptuous meals for their friends and families -- but they don't join in. Often the refusal to eat is paired with strict exercise routines.

Nobody knows why a particular person becomes anorexic. It is a psychological problem that has intense physical effects, including death. People with anorexia come to believe that their lives would be better if only they were thinner. These people tend to be perfectionists. The typical

These binge-and-purge episodes, typically happening at least twice a week, are what make bulimia separate from other eating disorders. The purging may serve two purposes: preventing weight gain and also temporarily relieving depression and other negative feelings. Bulimia can occur on its own or intermittently with anorexia. In the intermittent pattern -- which occurs in about one case out of five -- a young woman will not eat for some time, setting herself up for a binge; she may use appetite suppressants during the time she is not eating.

· Tooth enamel erosion, gum infections, cavities, and tooth discoloration (caused by stomach acids from frequent vomiting).

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