Anorexia nervosa is a severe eating disorder presenting psychological and physical symptoms. Key characteristics include:
- Significant underweight: Achieved through extreme dietary limitation and overexertion, resulting in body weight considerably below expected norms for age and stature.
- Body image distortion: Individuals perceive themselves as overweight, even when dangerously emaciated, accompanied by an acute phobia of weight gain.
Additional manifestations can encompass low self-worth, suppression of hunger signals, and compulsive actions concerning food and body mass.