Word parts
What it means
In general medicine, anorexia means a poor appetite, which can come with illness, cancer, drugs or depression. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorderEE-ting dis-OR-derA mental illness involving serious problems with eating behavior and with thoughts and feelings about food, weight or body shape.Full entry in which a person strongly limits food because of an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted view of their body size, leading to very low weight. Anorexia nervosa can damage the heart and has a high death rate among mental illnesses.
For the nurse
For poor appetite, offer small frequent meals and foods the client likes, and track weight and intake. For anorexia nervosa, watch weight, vital signs and electrolytes; when eating starts again after starvation, low phosphate, potassium and magnesium (refeeding syndrome) can be dangerous.
At a glance
| Spanish | anorexia |
|---|---|
| Also written | anorexic |
Related terms
obesity
Having much more body fat than is healthy, usually defined in adults as a body mass index of 30 or higher.
eating disorder
A mental illness involving serious problems with eating behavior and with thoughts and feelings about food, weight or body shape.
mental illness
A health condition that changes a person's thinking, mood or behavior and causes distress or problems in daily life.