Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and compensatory behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise or misuse of laxatives, to prevent weight gain.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists the following diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa:
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating (characterized by eating, in a discrete period of time, an amount of food that is definitely larger than most would eat in that period of time and/or in that situation, combined with a sense of lack of control of eating during the episode)
- Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting; use of laxatives diuretics, enemas or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise
- The binge eating and compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week for three months
- Self-evaluation is highly influenced by body shape and weight.
- The symptoms do not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa
There are two subtypes of bulimia nervosa: purging and nonpurging types. A person with bulimia nervosa, purging type, regularly engages in self-induced vomiting or use of laxatives, diuretics or enemas. A person with bulimia nervosa, non-purging type, does not engage in purging behaviors (and instead uses other compensatory behaviors, such as fasting or excessive exercise).
Source: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th ed, text revision. Washington, DC, Author, 2000.
