Who discovered anorexia nervosa?

Who discovered anorexia nervosa?

Leading articles or textbooks on anorexia nervosa generally give credit for its discovery to either the British physician William Withey Gull or to the French neuropsychiatrist Ernest Charles Lasègue.

What is the root of the word anorexia nervosa?

The word has had this meaning in English since the 16th century, from the Greek anorexia, with its roots of an-, “without,” and orexis, “appetite” or “desire.”

What is the official name for anorexia?

Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin.

Who was the first anorexic person?

The first descriptions of anorexia nervosa in the Western world date from the 12th and 13th centuries, most famously Saint Catherine of Siena (1), who denied herself food as part of a spiritual denial of self.

Is anorexia nervosa Latin?

The term anorexia nervosa comes from two Latin words that mean “nervous inability to eat.” Anorexics have the following characteristics in common: inability to maintain weight at or above what is normally expected for age or height.

What country has the highest rate of anorexia?

A continual rise in incidence was observed throughout the 55 years of this study. Two studies[16,17] of female students to determine the prevalence of anorexia nervosa suggest that the prevalence is higher in Norway (2.6%) than in Italy (1.3%).

What is binge and purge mean?

Bingeing and purging involves eating much larger amounts than normal (bingeing), then attempting to compensate by removing the food consumed from the body (purging). A binge consists of eating larger portions than normal, quickly, in a short period of time, and feeling a loss of control.

What is d meaning of anorexia nervosa?

Overview. Anorexia (an-o-REK-see-uh) nervosa — often simply called anorexia — is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight.