 Diagnostic Criteria of AN
- Weight loss or refusal to maintain normal body weight (less than 85% of normal weight for specific age and height)
- Intense fear of fatness or weight gain especially near the onset of the illness.
- Extreme concern or distorted evaluation on body image, for example, feeling ‘fat’ despite being underweight.
- Loss of menstrual periods for at least 3 consecutive cycles (females); loss of libido (males).
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Subtypes of AN
Restrictive Type
- Restrictive diet/ excessive exercise (No binge eating or purging behaviors occurred)
Binging-Eating / Purging Type
- Binge eating or purging behaviors occurred.
Signs and Symptoms of AN
Physical
- Drastic and persistent weight loss
- For female, disrupted menstrual cycles or amenorrhea, even worst to infertility and osteoporosis (bone abnormalities)
- For male, loss of libido
- Cold intolerance, lethargy and fainting
- Constipation and abdominal bloating
- Dry skin, hair loss, brittle nails
- Muscle (heart muscle and cerebral atrophy) wasting
- Slow pulse and low blood pressure
- Dehydration
Psychosocial
- Intense fear of gaining weight and want to be thinner even though being underweight
- Distorted perceptions on body shape
- Denial of the existing problems of getting thin and make many excuses to avoid eating
- Depressed, anxious and irritated
- Changes in personality and mood swings
- Intense and conflicting relationship with the family members
- Diminished social network due to ongoing avoidance to eat with others
- Indecisive, preoccupied with obsessive and compulsive thinking and behavior (especially during extremely underweight)
Behavioral
- Refuse to eat or have unusual diet habits:
- Cut food into tiny pieces and eating slowly
- Only allow vegetables and food with low calories or specific types of food
- Spit out the food after chewed
- Doing excessive exercises, self-induced vomiting and abuse diet pills, laxatives or diuretics to avoid weight gain
- Wear big baggy clothes to conceal thin body shape
- Force family members to eat or supervise their family members on cooking
- Prepare food by themselves
- Stealing (especially food at the beginning)
| ** If you suspect your family members, friends or yourself suffering from eating disorders, call us as soon as possible at our hotline 2850 4448. |
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