Which statement accurately describes anorexia and bulimia in teenage girls?

Which statement accurately describes anorexia and bulimia in teenage girls?

• A. Anorexia is a binge-eating disorder; bulimia is purging food.
• B. These disorders are equally common in males and females.
• C. Anorexia is starving oneself; bulimia is purging food; these disorders are ten times more common among females.
• D. Anorexia is a medical condition unrelated to body image.

Answer: (C)

These eating disorders in teens hinge on how the disorders present and who they affect more often. Anorexia nervosa typically involves restricting food intake to the point of very low body weight, commonly described as starving oneself. Bulimia nervosa involves binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors, such as purging, to prevent weight gain. Importantly, these conditions show a marked gender difference: they are far more common in females during adolescence, with prevalence estimates commonly described as dramatically higher in girls (often cited around ten times more common in females than males). Thus, the statement that best describes both disorders is the one that defines anorexia as starving oneself and bulimia as purging, and notes that these disorders are ten times more common among females. The other options mischaracterize the disorders—for example, labeling anorexia as a binge-eating disorder or claiming equal prevalence in males and females, or suggesting anorexia is unrelated to body image—so they don’t fit the evidence as well.

These eating disorders in teens hinge on how the disorders present and who they affect more often. Anorexia nervosa typically involves restricting food intake to the point of very low body weight, commonly described as starving oneself. Bulimia nervosa involves binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors, such as purging, to prevent weight gain. Importantly, these conditions show a marked gender difference: they are far more common in females during adolescence, with prevalence estimates commonly described as dramatically higher in girls (often cited around ten times more common in females than males).

Thus, the statement that best describes both disorders is the one that defines anorexia as starving oneself and bulimia as purging, and notes that these disorders are ten times more common among females. The other options mischaracterize the disorders—for example, labeling anorexia as a binge-eating disorder or claiming equal prevalence in males and females, or suggesting anorexia is unrelated to body image—so they don’t fit the evidence as well.