Which eating disorder is primarily based on significant weight loss and nutritional deficiency?

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by significant weight loss and a marked lack of adequate nutrition, stemming from an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image. Individuals with this disorder typically engage in restrictive eating behaviors and may also end up excessively exercising or using other methods to lose weight, such as purging. This focus on weight loss results in dangerously low body weight compared to what is considered normal for their age and height, leading to severe nutritional deficiencies.

In contrast, Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors, and although this can lead to weight fluctuations, it does not inherently involve significant weight loss as a primary feature. Unspecified Feeding and Eating Disorder includes eating disorders that cause significant distress or impairment but do not meet the full criteria for other specific eating disorders, and as such, may lack the hallmark features of significant weight loss associated with Anorexia Nervosa. Lastly, Binge-Eating Disorder involves recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food without the compensatory behaviors typical of Bulimia Nervosa, often leading to obesity rather than significant weight loss.

Thus, the defining traits of Anorexia Nervosa—especially in relation to substantial weight loss and nutritional deficiency—distinguish it