Definition

Bulimia (pronounced bu-LIM-ee-uh) nervosa is a serious and sometimes life-threatening eating disorder that affects primarily young women. Bulimics (people who have bulimia) go through cycles of binging and purging. Binging is the consumption of abnormally large amounts of food in a very short period of time, and purging is the elimination of food by some unusual activity. Bulimics use fasting (not eating), excessive exercise, vomiting, or laxatives to purge themselves of food. Bulimia is partly caused by excessive concern about weight control and self-image. It is considered to be a psychiatric (mental) disorder.

Description

Bulimia nervosa is a serious health problem for over two million adolescent girls and young women in the United States. In the most extreme cases, bulimia can cause severe bodily damage or even death. For example, in rare cases, binging can cause the stomach to break open. Purging can be dangerous...