Anorexia is an eating disorder where people starve themselves. Anorexia usually begins in young people around the onset of puberty. Anorexia is a condition that goes beyond out-of-control dieting. A person with anorexia initially begins dieting to lose weight. The drive to become thinner is actually secondary to concerns about control and/or fears relating to one’s body.

Approximately 95% of those affected by anorexia are female, but males can develop the disorder as well. While anorexia typically begins to manifest itself during early adolescence, it is also seen in young children and adults. In the U.S. and other countries with high economic status, it is estimated that about one out of every 100 adolescent girls has the disorder.

(more…)