Question

A 16-year old female has an irresistible urge to eat, followed by episodes of self-induced vomiting. She is also on appetite suppressants. What is the diagnosis?

• A. Anorexia nervosa
• B. Bulimia nervosa
• C. Pica disorder
• D. Binge eating disorder

Hint:

Bulimia nervosa involves a cycle of binge eating and purging behaviors, which can have serious long-term health consequences.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The question describes a scenario where a 16-year-old female experiences episodes characterized by an irresistible urge to eat, followed by self-induced vomiting. Additionally, she is on appetite suppressants. The given options for the diagnosis are: Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, Pica disorder, and Binge eating disorder. Let's analyze each option to determine the correct diagnosis.

1. Anorexia nervosa:
   • This is an eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image, leading individuals to severely restrict their food intake.
   • Often associated with being underweight due to calorie restriction rather than binge eating and purging.
2. Bulimia nervosa:
   • This disorder involves episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise to prevent weight gain.
   • The individual's use of self-induced vomiting in the question strongly suggests this diagnosis.
3. Pica disorder:
   • Characterized by the consumption of non-nutritive substances (e.g., dirt, paint) over a period of at least one month.
   • The symptoms described do not align with this disorder as the individual is not consuming non-nutritive items.
4. Binge eating disorder:
   • Involves repeated episodes of eating large quantities of food without subsequent purging behaviors.
   • The individual in the question engages in vomiting after eating, which aligns with bulimia rather than binge eating disorder.

Based on the definition of each disorder and the symptoms described, Bulimia nervosa is the most accurate diagnosis. The combination of binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting to prevent weight gain typically indicates bulimia nervosa.