Anorexia Anorexia is a type of eating disorder in which one severely limits his or her food intake. Anorexia can be a single, limited episode in which one looses an immense amount of weight within a few months, or it can develop gradually and continue for many years. It most commonly begins in the teenage years but can occur at any age. For example, it has been diagnosed in a child as young as five …showed first 75 words of 506 total…

…showed last 75 words of 506 total…the refusal to maintain a body weight normal for their age and height, an intense fear of becoming fat even though they are underweight, a distorted body image, and the loss of menstrual function for at least three months without pregnancy. All of the criteria must be present to diagnose an individual as an anorectic. Anorexia is a very serious disorder that can lead to death if not diagnosed and treated in its initial stages.