THE DSM-IV-TR EATING DISORDER CRITERIA

THE DSM-IV-TR EATING
DISORDER CRITERIA
The DSM-IV-TR defines the criteria for mental disor-
ders and provides universal standards for mental health
practitioners that will aid in their treatment.
Anorexia nervosa (anorexia) is defined as an eating
disorder characterized by self-starvation and a weight of
15% or more below normal. The DSM-IV-TR criteria for
anorexia nervosa include a relentless pursuit of thinness
and a refusal to maintain normal weight, an intense fear
of gaining weight, preoccupation with weight, and lack
of menstruation (for females beyond puberty).
Bulimia nervosa (bulimia) is defined as an eating
disorder in which a person has uncontrollable urges to
eat excessively and then purge. The cycle of bingeing
(e.g., eating an excessive amount of food accompanied
with a feeling of lack of control) and purging (i.e.,
vomiting, use of diuretics, etc.) must occur twice a
week for 3 months to warrant a psychiatric diagnosis.
In addition to anorexia and bulimia, the DSM-IV-TR
includes the category of “eating disorder not otherwise
specified” (EDNOS), defined as eating disturbances that
don’t meet the criteria for any specific eating disorder.
Thus, this type of eating disorder is characterized by
elements of anorexia and/or bulimia, but not enough of
them to warrant a clinical diagnosis of either disorder.
Individuals with this diagnosis are at higher risk for
eventual diagnosis of anorexia or bulimia. Examples of
this type of eating disorder are the regular use of com-
pensatory behaviors by an individual of normal body
weight after eating small amounts of food, or binge-
eating disorder, which is characterized by recurrent
episodes of binge eating without regular use of com-
pensatory behaviors