What is the Difference Between Anorexia and Bulimia?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are both eating disorders characterized by an overvalued drive for thinness and a distorted body image. However, they present differently in terms of food-related behaviors and symptoms. Here are the key differences between anorexia and bulimia:
Anorexia Nervosa:
- Involves severely reducing food intake to lose weight.
- People with anorexia may eat very little, avoid high-calorie foods, or miss meals completely.
- They may be dishonest about what they eat and their body weight, wear baggy clothes to hide their thinness, take medication to reduce hunger, and have rituals around eating.
- Anorexia is often accompanied by excessive exercise, which may result in fainting, and frequent weighing.
- People with anorexia often see themselves as overweight even when they are underweight.
Bulimia Nervosa:
- Characterized by binge eating, followed by drastic methods to lose weight or avoid weight gain.
- People with bulimia may binge eat excessive amounts of food in a short period, then purge or use other methods to prevent weight gain.
- Purging behaviors include vomiting, using laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or over-exercising.
- Bulimia is often associated with emotional symptoms such as poor self-esteem, irritability, agitation, mood changes, social isolation, depression, and anxiety.
While both disorders can have a similar impact on emotional health, the primary difference between anorexia and bulimia lies in the food-related behaviors and the methods used to maintain or lose weight.
Comparative Table: Anorexia vs Bulimia
Here is a table comparing the differences between anorexia and bulimia:
| Feature | Anorexia Nervosa | Bulimia Nervosa |
|---|---|---|
| Food Intake | Restricts food intake, eats very little, avoids high-calorie foods, or misses meals | Binges on excessive amounts of food in a short period, then purges or uses other methods to prevent weight gain |
| Weight | Underweight or maintains a below-normal weight | Often maintains an average weight, but may be slightly underweight or overweight |
| Body Image | Sees themselves as overweight even when they are underweight | May have a distorted body image, but not as severely as anorexia |
| Eating Patterns | Follows rituals around eating, weighs themselves often, and exercises excessively | May eat normally in front of others, but binges and purges in private |
| Emotional Symptoms | Poor self-esteem, irritability, mood changes, social isolation, depression, and anxiety | Similar emotional symptoms as anorexia, but may also experience guilt and shame associated with binging and purging |
| Treatment | Often involves psychotherapy, nutrition counseling, and medical monitoring | Treatment may include cognitive-behavioral therapy, antidepressants, and other medications, as well as nutrition counseling |
Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are both eating disorders that disrupt a person's diet and body image. However, they have different patterns of food intake and distinct behaviors.
- Anorexia vs Anorexia Nervosa
- Anorexia vs Cachexia
- Fasting vs Starving
- Malnutrition vs Undernutrition
- Hunger vs Appetite
- Obesity vs Overweight
- Hunger vs Starve
- Diet vs Nutrition
- Bullying vs Abuse
- Hunger vs Craving
- Healthy Food vs Junk Food
- Depression vs Bipolar Disorder
- Metabolism vs Digestion
- Food vs Nutrition
- Overweight vs Obese
- Bipolar Disorder vs Borderline Personality Disorder
- Anxiety vs Depression
- Weight Loss vs Fat Loss
- Dysphagia vs Odynophagia