diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa

Introduction

Criteria:

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating
  • eating within a 2 hour period an amount of food that is larger than most people would eat
  • a sense of lack of control over eating during the episodes

• Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain
  • self-induced vomiting
  • abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas
  • abuse of other medications
  • fasting
  • excessive exercise

• Behaviors occur at least twice a week for at least 3 months

• Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape & weight

• Disturbance does NOT occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa

Purging type:

• regular self-induced vomiting or abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas

Non-purging type:

• fasting or excessive exercise, but NOT regular self-induced vomiting or abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas

More general terms

• criteria

Additional terms

• bulimia nervosa