Biomaterial Database

Adolescent eating disorder: anorexia nervosa. 1985

R E Muuss

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder observed with increasing frequency, especially among adolescent females. No consensus exists concerning the causes of the disorder. Social, psychosexual, family system, biological theories, and the regression hypothesis have been advanced to explain the phenomenon. The major characteristics are 25% loss of body weight, use of various means to lose weight, weight phobia, preoccupation with food, body image disturbances, as well as numerous associated medical conditions: bradycardia, hypotension, dehydration, hypothermia, electrolyte abnormalities, amenorrhea, metabolic changes, and abdominal distress. Anorexic adolescents resist treatment and may die if not cured. The following therapeutic modalities have been effective: hospitalization, and cognitive, behavioral, and family therapy. Some of the typical family patterns, early characteristics, social adjustment problems, and society's contribution to the disorder are presented.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D011606	Psychosexual Development	The stages of development of the psychological aspects of sexuality from birth to adulthood; i.e., oral, anal, genital, and latent periods.	Anal Stage,Phallic Stage,Anal Stages,Development, Psychosexual,Developments, Psychosexual,Phallic Stages,Psychosexual Developments,Stage, Anal,Stage, Phallic,Stages, Anal,Stages, Phallic
D012043	Regression, Psychology	A return to earlier, especially to infantile, patterns of thought or behavior, or stage of functioning, e.g., feelings of helplessness and dependency in a patient with a serious physical illness. (From APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 1994).	Psychological Regression,Regression (Psychology),Psychology Regression
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D003131	Combined Modality Therapy	The treatment of a disease or condition by several different means simultaneously or sequentially. Chemoimmunotherapy, RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY, chemoradiotherapy, cryochemotherapy, and SALVAGE THERAPY are seen most frequently, but their combinations with each other and surgery are also used.	Multimodal Treatment,Therapy, Combined Modality,Combined Modality Therapies,Modality Therapies, Combined,Modality Therapy, Combined,Multimodal Treatments,Therapies, Combined Modality,Treatment, Multimodal,Treatments, Multimodal
D004038	Diet, Reducing	A diet designed to cause an individual to lose weight.	Weight Loss Diet,Weight Reduction Diet,Diet, Weight Loss,Diet, Weight Reduction,Diets, Reducing,Diets, Weight Loss,Diets, Weight Reduction,Reducing Diet,Reducing Diets,Weight Loss Diets,Weight Reduction Diets
D005190	Family	A social group consisting of parents or parent substitutes and children.	Family Life Cycles,Family Members,Family Life Cycle,Family Research,Filiation,Kinship Networks,Relatives,Families,Family Member,Kinship Network,Life Cycle, Family,Life Cycles, Family,Network, Kinship,Networks, Kinship,Research, Family
D005247	Feeding Behavior	Behavioral responses or sequences associated with eating including modes of feeding, rhythmic patterns of eating, and time intervals.	Dietary Habits,Eating Behavior,Faith-based Dietary Restrictions,Feeding Patterns,Feeding-Related Behavior,Food Habits,Diet Habits,Eating Habits,Behavior, Eating,Behavior, Feeding,Behavior, Feeding-Related,Behaviors, Eating,Behaviors, Feeding,Behaviors, Feeding-Related,Diet Habit,Dietary Habit,Dietary Restriction, Faith-based,Dietary Restrictions, Faith-based,Eating Behaviors,Eating Habit,Faith based Dietary Restrictions,Faith-based Dietary Restriction,Feeding Behaviors,Feeding Pattern,Feeding Related Behavior,Feeding-Related Behaviors,Food Habit,Habit, Diet,Habit, Dietary,Habit, Eating,Habit, Food,Habits, Diet,Pattern, Feeding,Patterns, Feeding,Restrictions, Faith-based Dietary
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man