anorexia nervosa

anorexia ner·vo·sa   (nûr-vō'sə)    n.  A psychophysiological disorder usually occurring in young women that is characterized by an abnormal fear of becoming obese, a distorted self-image, a persistent unwillingness to eat, and severe weight loss. It is often accompanied by self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, malnutrition, amenorrhea, and other physiological changes. [New Latin anorexia nervōsa : anorexia, anorexia + nervōsa, feminine of nervōsus, nervous.]

anorexia nervosa [(an-uh-rek-see-uh nur-voh-suh)]

A psychosomatic disorder in which the sufferer refuses to eat and undertakes activities (such as self-induced vomiting) to bring about extreme weight loss. Anorexia, which is also characterized by a distorted self-image, occurs most often in young women aged twelve to twenty-one and may result in death if medical treatment is not obtained. Treatment for anorexia often includes extensive counseling to reveal underlying emotional problems.

Main Entry: anorexia ner·vo·sa
Pronunciation: -(")n&r-'vO-s&, -z&
Function: noun
: a serious eating disorder primarily of youngwomen in their teens and early twenties that is characterized especially by a pathological fear of weight gain leading to faulty eating patterns, malnutrition, and usually excessive weight loss

anorexia nervosa anorexia nerv·o·sa (nûr-vō'sə)
n.
A psychophysiological disorder usually occurring in teenage women, characterized by fear of becoming obese, a distorted self-image, a persistent aversion to food, and severe weight loss and often marked by hyperactivity, self-induced vomiting, amenorrhea, and other physiological changes.

anorexia nervosa   (nûr-vō'sə)  Pronunciation Key  An eating disorder characterized by a distorted body image, fear of becoming obese, persistent aversion to food, and severe weight loss and malnutrition. It most commonly affects teenage girls and young women, who often develop amenorrhea, osteoporosis and other abnormalities.