Bulimia Nervosa

What is bulimia nervosa?

Bulimia nervosa, usually referred to as bulimia, is defined as uncontrolled episodes of overeating (binge eating) in addition to purging through misuse of laxatives, enemas, medications that cause increased production of urine, self-induced vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise. Binge eating, in this situation, is defined as eating much larger amounts of food than would normally be consumed within a short period of time (usually less than two hours). Eating binges occur at least twice a week for three months and may occur as often as several times a day and is accompanied by unhappiness with an individual's body shape and weight.

How is bulimia diagnosed?