Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, leading to self-starvation, extreme thinness, and a distorted body image.
Another type of eating disorder where individuals engage in binge-eating followed by behaviors to prevent weight gain such as vomiting, excessive exercise, or fasting.
Orthorexia: This refers to an obsession with healthy or 'clean' eating. It often involves strict diets and can lead to malnutrition similar to other forms of disordered eating like anorexia.