The anorexia nervosa eating disorder is characterized as negative body image, severe weight

loss, irrational fears of obesity and weight gain (Dua, slide 41). The bulimia nervosa eating
disorder is characterized as recurrent episodes of uncontrolled eating followed by laxatives or
diuretic use, fasting, self-induced vomiting, or vigorous exercise (Dua, slide 41).
It is possible to tell a person has anorexia nervosa if they refuse to maintain a minimal or above
normal body weight. They have extreme fear of becoming fat or gaining weight despite being
underweight. For woman, they might have amenorrhea in postmenarchial. Lastly, a person is a
restrictive or purging type where a non-restrictive type is regularly engaged in binge-eating.
It is possible to tell a person has bulimia nervosa if they have repeated periods of binge eating
and an inappropriate compensatory behaviour to prevent weight gain (2019, p. 394). They tend
to eat larger food portions than most people in a similar period during these binge periods and
has a lack of control. These periods can occur at least once a week for 3 months and is influenced
by weight and body shape.
The physical impacts of anorexia nervosa are being underweight and possibility of death by a
weakened immune system from undernutrition, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, gastric
ruptures, and suicide (2019, p. 395). The psychological impacts are anxiety from social pressure
to be thin and the feeling of more control from weight loss which reinforces restrictive behaviour
(2019, p. 395). The physical impact of bulimia nervosa disorder is being overweight and the
psychological impacts are anxiety, alcohol abuse, and borderline personality disorder (2019, p.
395).
Warning signs of these eating disorders are a distorted body image, low or high caloric intake,
fasting or unpredictable meal patterns with various caloric intake, overtraining in physical
activity, and constantly thinking about weight or food (2019, p. 396). A person can intervene by
speaking to a clinical professional about the individual with the eating disorder so they can be
treated accordingly.
Female competitive athletes involved in sports that emphasize a lean body such as gymnastics
increases the chances of developing anorexia nervosa disorder to maintain their figure. They are
specifically more likely to be affected by the female athlete triad which is the condition of
osteoporosis, menstrual dysfunction, and an eating disorder in otherwise healthy female athletes.
(2019, p.74).

References:
Brown, J. E. (2019). Nutrition through the life cycle. Brooks/Cole.
Dua, S. (2022, March). Adolescent Nutrition: Conditions and Interventions. Reading.