What is bulimia?
Bulimia nervosa (buh-LEE-me-ah nur-VOH-suh), often called bulimia, is a type of eating disorder. A person with bulimia eats a lot of food in a short amount of time (binging) and then tries to prevent weight gain by getting rid of the food (purging). Purging might be done by: • Making yourself throw up • Taking laxatives (pills or liquids that speed up the movement of food through your body and lead to a bowel movement) A person with bulimia feels he or she cannot control the amount of food eaten. Also, bulimics might exercise a lot, eat very little or not at all, or take pills to pass urine often to prevent weight gain. Unlike anorexia, people with bulimia can fall within the normal range for their age and weight.
