BMI (body mass index) measurement is one of the tests to detect whether one has Anorexia nervosa or not.
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Anorexia nervosa is defined as an eating disorder where a person's low body weight is associated with the person's low self-image. Doctors generally measure BMI which generally ranges from 15 to 17 for an anorexia patient. An adult whose BMI is below 17.5 is diagnosed with anorexia. A severe case of anorexia would be a BMI between 15-15.99. A BMI below 15 can lead to fatal complications.
People suffering from anorexia nervosa do not experience any problem with their periods.
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One of the symptoms of anorexia nervosa is amenorrhea or iregular periods. People suffering from Amenorrhea can miss their periods for almost 3 months. It is generally caused by an interruption in the secretion of gonadotropin hormone. Moreover, amenorrhea also leads to osteopenia that is characterized by calcium depletion in the bones.
What is a sub-type of anorexia nervosa?
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People suffering from anorexia nervosa usually experience one of the sub-types of anorexia, mainly, binge/purge and restrictive eating. In binge/purge anorexia, people engage in purging following a meal to assuage their fears regarding gaining weight. These types of individuals also engage in extreme exercises, vomiting and usage of laxatives to offset the calories that they have consumed.
How is anorexia nervosa treated?
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There is no standard treatment for anexoria nervosa as there are no medications for the illness. Treatment is often holistic in approach that not only addresses the low body weight of the individual but also their mental health. It has been seen and reported that anexoria nervosa is a psychological disorder that affects a person's body image.
The highest mortality rate has been reported for anexoria nervosa.
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Anexoria nervosa is not only a psychological disorder, it also has adverse effect on one's physical condition. Once an individual starts developing anexoria, he or she may observe dry skin and hair, bluish fingertips and an emaciated body frame. Owing to lesser nutrients, the brain starts to shrink and the individual also develops osteopenia and osteoporosis. Simultaneous physical illness and organ failure ultimately lead to death. People also commit suicide from this disorder, as it is associated with extreme cases depression and anxiety.