Question 1

Engaging in excessive exercise in addition to limiting calorie intake falls under the _____ type of anorexia nervosa.

Accepted Answer

Excessive exercise in addition to limiting calorie intake is a form of restrictive anorexia nervosa where individuals severely limit their food intake and engage in excessive physical activity to try to lose weight. Binge eating/purging involves bouts of overeating followed by purging through vomiting, laxatives, or diuretics. Self-evaluation refers to the distorted body image and negative self-worth characteristic of anorexia nervosa. Body dysmorphic disorder is a separate diagnosis that involves preoccupation with perceived flaws or defects in one's appearance.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true of the difference between the binge/purge type of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa?

Accepted Answer

The statement that is true of the difference between the binge/purge type of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa is that people with the binge/purge anorexia type are at least 15 percent below healthy body weight, whereas people with bulimia nervosa typically are at normal weight or somewhat overweight. Option A is incorrect as women with both types of disorders may experience amenorrhea. Option B is incorrect as both disorders involve binges of large amounts of food, but people with bulimia may purge the food after the binge. Option C is incorrect as bulimia nervosa can affect both men and women, although it is more prevalent in women.

Question 3

Which of the following behaviors is typically associated with bulimia?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

Thea is significantly underweight and disturbed with her body image. She tends to use diuretics and laxatives to keep her weight low. She senses a lack of control over eating. According to DSM-5 criteria for anorexia nervosa, she would most likely be diagnosed with the:

Accepted Answer

Thea's use of diuretics and laxatives, along with a lack of control over eating, aligns with the binge/purge type of anorexia nervosa according to DSM-5 criteria.

Question 5

Laurell is of normal weight and is over-concerned with her weight and figure. She often will eat an entire box of doughnuts and then because she feels a lack of control over eating that much will use laxatives to get rid of the unwanted calories. According to the DSM-5 criteria, Laurell will most likely meet the criteria for _____.

Accepted Answer

Laurell's behavior is consistent with the criteria for bulimia nervosa, which includes both binge eating and compensatory behaviors such as laxative use. Binge-eating disorder would not be appropriate because Laurell is using compensatory behaviors, and anorexia nervosa would not be appropriate because she is not restricting her food intake. Additionally, there is no indication that Laurell is underweight, which is a critical component of a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa.

Question 6

Which type of anorexia involves eating very small amounts of food each day, in part simply to stay alive and in part because of pressure from others to eat?

Accepted Answer

The restricting type of anorexia involves eating very small amounts of food each day, in order to stay alive and also due to pressure from others to eat. The other types, such as the constricting type, involve more extreme behaviors such as purging and excessive exercise, while the self-imposed type may involve rigid rules and rituals around food consumption. The binge/purge type involves episodes of binge eating followed by purging behavior.

Question 7

For several months, Reba has kept her weight 10 to 15 pounds below what would be considered normal for her age and height. She uses laxatives after eating a meal. She has become concerned because she has recently stopped menstruating. Which of the following diagnoses would Reba likely receive?

Accepted Answer

Reba's symptoms suggest that she has an eating disorder with both restrictive and purging behaviors, making option C the most likely diagnosis. The fact that she uses laxatives after eating and has stopped menstruating suggest that she has been engaging in purging behaviors, while maintaining her weight below normal suggests that she has also been restricting her food intake. Option A, binge-eating disorder, does not fit her symptoms as she is not overeating. Option B, bulimia nervosa purging type, only covers her purging behavior, and not her restriction. Option D, anorexia nervosa restrictive type, only covers her restriction behavior, but not her purging behavior.

Question 8

A core characteristic of bulimia nervosa is:

Accepted Answer

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by episodes of uncontrolled eating, known as binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors like purging to prevent weight gain.

Question 9

All of the following are considered serious physical consequences of anorexia EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

While anorexia can cause serious physical consequences such as cardiovascular complications, lower bone strength, and kidney damage, hiatal hernia is not typically associated with anorexia. It is a condition where a portion of the stomach protrudes into the chest cavity through the diaphragm, and can be caused by factors such as obesity and frequent vomiting, which are not necessarily related to anorexia.

Question 10

People with _____ starve themselves, subsisting on little or no food for very long periods of time, yet they remain sure that they need to lose more weight.

Accepted Answer

The described behavior is typical of individuals with anorexia nervosa, a psychiatric disorder characterized by extreme weight loss, distorted body image, and an intense fear of gaining weight. People with anorexia nervosa often restrict their food intake, avoid certain types of food, and have an irrational belief that they are overweight even when they are underweight.

Question 11

Amile is underweight and uncomfortable with the way she views her body. She also has no lack of control over eating. She exercises excessively. According to DSM-5 criteria for anorexia nervosa, she would most likely be diagnosed with the:

Accepted Answer

The DSM-5 criteria for anorexia nervosa include restriction of energy intake leading to a significantly low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat or persistent behavior that interferes with weight gain, and disturbance in the way one's body weight or shape are experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of current low body weight. The restricting type of anorexia nervosa is characterized by weight loss achieved primarily through a strict diet and exercise regimen, whereas the binge/purging type involves both binge eating and purging behaviors such as vomiting or laxative abuse. The self-evaluation type and body dysmorphic type are not recognized diagnostic subtypes of anorexia nervosa in the DSM-5.

Question 12

Amenorrhea refers to:

Accepted Answer

Amenorrhea refers to the absence of menstrual periods.

Question 13

What are the two types of anorexia recognized by the DSM-5?

Accepted Answer

The DSM-5 recognizes two types of anorexia: the restricting type, which is characterized by restricting food intake and excessive exercise, and the binge/purge type, characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating and/or purging behaviors. Option A and D are not recognized types, and Option B only describes one type of an eating disorder (bulimia nervosa).

Question 14

Which of the following individuals is most likely to develop anorexia?

Accepted Answer

Anorexia nervosa is more common in Caucasians, particularly those in middle to upper class socioeconomic backgrounds. Women are also more likely to develop the disorder, and it typically begins in adolescence or young adulthood. Therefore, Abigail, 18, a Caucasian college student, is the most likely to develop anorexia.

Question 15

Fergus has lost one hundred pounds this past year. His weight is 15 percent below what his physician says is a healthy weight for him, yet he refuses to acknowledge his thinness or the serious risks of his self-starvation. Fergus is afraid that if he gains weight, no woman will ever date him again. Fergus is most likely exhibiting _____.

Accepted Answer

Fergus is exhibiting symptoms of anorexia nervosa, as he has lost a significant amount of weight, is below a healthy weight, and has a distorted perception of his body. His fear of gaining weight and belief that it will impact his dating life is also common among individuals with anorexia. Body dysmorphic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder may involve a concern with body image, but they do not necessarily involve self-starvation or a fear of gaining weight. Bulimia nervosa involves binge eating and purging behaviors, which are not present in Fergus's case.

Question 16

One of the key differences in DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa is that now diagnosis is based on _____.

Accepted Answer

In DSM-5, diagnosis of anorexia nervosa is based on a low body mass index (BMI) rather than requiring amenorrhea as a diagnostic criterion. The old criteria only required a weight at or below 85% of expected weight for age and height, while the new criteria specify a BMI of 17.5 or lower.

Question 17

Which of the following is the driving force behind most people's attempt to lose weight?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that body dissatisfaction is the primary driving force behind most people's attempts to lose weight. This dissatisfaction can stem from societal pressures and media messaging that idealize certain body types, leading individuals to believe that achieving a specific appearance will result in greater happiness and social acceptance. Additionally, concerns about health may also play a role in weight loss attempts, but typically are secondary to body image concerns. Choices A and C, relating to finding a mate and modeling celebrity behavior, may be motivators for some individuals but are not as widespread or impactful as body dissatisfaction.

Question 18

Engaging in episodes of recurring overeating and use of laxatives/enemas to keep weight low falls under the _____ type of anorexia nervosa in the DSM-5.

Accepted Answer

The behavior described is characteristic of the binge/purge type of anorexia nervosa, in which individuals engage in episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging or use of laxatives/enemas to prevent weight gain. This is distinguished from the restricting subtype in which individuals severely limit food intake without engaging in compensatory behaviors, as well as from the self-evaluation and body dysmorphic subtypes which focus more on distorted perceptions of body image and self-worth rather than specific behaviors related to food and weight.

Question 19

Which of the following did DSM-5 drop from the anorexia nervosa diagnostic criteria?

Accepted Answer

DSM-5 dropped amenorrhea as a diagnostic criterion for anorexia nervosa, recognizing that not all individuals with anorexia nervosa experience this symptom. Calorie restriction, fear of weight gain, and discomfort with self-evaluation of one's body remain diagnostic criteria.

Question 20

People with anorexia nervosa:

Accepted Answer

People with anorexia nervosa often develop elaborate rituals around food, such as cutting it into small pieces, rearranging it on the plate, or measuring it precisely.

Quiz 12: Eating Disorders