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Eating Disorders Are Generally Characterized By Any Range Of Abnormal Or Disturbed Eating Habits

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Eating disorders are generally characterized by any range of abnormal or disturbed eating habits. The previous DSM editions referenced eating disorders throughout the text, whereas the DSM-5 contains all of the eating disorders in one chapter titled, “Feeding and Eating Disorders”. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa have endured some changes in the revision of the DSM-5, while there were additional disorders added. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and binge eating disorder were two disorders that have been introduced in the DSM-5. The severity of eating disorders is also a new system of classification which ranges from mild, moderate and severe.
According to the DSM-5 (2013), Anorexia Nervosa is defined as restrictive energy intake leading to weight that is less than minimally normal. An intense fear of becoming fat or weight gain leads to persistent behaviors that interfere with weight gain. Bulimia nervosa is defined by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by inappropriate behav¬iors such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise to avoid weight gain. For Anorexia Nervosa, the severity is measured by Body Mass Index (BMI). Mild > 17kg/m2, Moderate is between 16-16.99 kg/m2, Severe is between 15-15.99 kg/m2, and Extreme < 15 kg/m2. For Bulimia Nervosa, the severity of the symptoms determines the degree of functional disability. Mild is an average of 1-3 episodes of behaviors per week,

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