What is a defining feature of Anorexia Nervosa?

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized primarily by an intense fear of gaining weight and a persistent behavior of avoiding food that leads to significantly low body weight. This fear drives individuals to engage in restrictive eating patterns and behaviors aimed at losing weight or preventing weight gain, despite being underweight. The defining feature of this disorder is not just the avoidance of food but specifically the underlying fear and anxiety related to weight gain, which is a hallmark symptom.

While other eating disorders may present with different behaviors—such as binge eating followed by purging, which is characteristic of Bulimia Nervosa—Anorexia Nervosa is distinctly marked by the fear of weight gain that influences the individual's eating behaviors. This focus on weight and shape results in serious health consequences and a distorted body image, further solidifying the significance of the fear component in the diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa.