By their own nature Eating Disorders are very self-destructive and potentially life threatening behaviors. They appear to be symptoms of underlying problems. These symptoms can grow out of control to become life threatening disorders. The DSM-IV provides the diagnostic criteria for Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa as well as research criteria for Binge-Eating:

307.1 Anorexia nervosa

• Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age ad height (e.g., weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected; or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading body weight less than 85% of that expected).
• Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. Even though underweight.
• Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
• In postmenarcheal females, amenorrhea, i.e., the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles. ( A woman is considered to have amenorrhea if her periods occur only following hormone, e.g., estrogen, administration.)

Specific Type:

Restricting Type: During the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has not regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas)

Binge-Eating/Purging Type: During the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behavior (i.e., self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas)

307.51 Bulimia nervosa

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating, An episode of binge eating is characterized by both of the following:
  1. eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances
  2. a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating)
• Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induces vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise.
• The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months.
• Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
• The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of Anorexia Nervosa.

Specific Type:

Purging Type: during the current episode of Bulimia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas

Nonpurging Type: during the current episode of Bulimia Nervosa, the person has used other inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as fasting or excessive exercise, but has not regularly engaged in self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas

307.50 Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified

The Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified category is for disorders of eating that do not meet the criteria for and specific Eating Disorder. Examples include:

• For females, all of the criteria for Anorexia Nervosa are met except that the individual has regular menses.
• All of the criteria for Anorexia Nervosa are met except that, despite significant weight loss, the individual's current weight is in the normal range.
• All of the criteria for Bulimia Nervosa are met except that the binge eating and appropriate compensatory mechanisms occur at a frequency of less than twice a week or for a duration of less than 3 months.
• The regular use of inappropriate compensatory behavior by an individual of normal body weight after eating small amounts of food (e.g., self-induced vomiting after the consumption of two cookies).
• Repeatedly chewing and spitting out, but not swallowing, large amounts of food.
• Binge-eating disorder: recurrent episodes of binge eating in the absence of the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors characteristic of Bulimia Nervosa