In order to establish whether someone has bulimia nervosa, a mental health professional needs to investigate whether the following criteria are present:
Recurrent episodes of binge eating. An episode of binge eating is characterised by both of the following:
eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g. within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than most people would eat during a similar period of time and under similar circumstances
a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g. a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating)
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Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviour in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise.
The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviours both occur, on average, at least twice a week for three months.
Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
The disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of Anorexia Nervosa.
- Source: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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