Reena has been starving herself, exercises compulsively and constantly checks her weight. At 17 years, her weight is 23 kgs and yet she sees herself as overweight in the mirror. What disorder is Reena suffering from?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Anorexia nervosa
Option (1) Binge eating — Incorrect. In binge eating there are frequent episodes of out-of-control eating, at a higher speed than normal, until the person feels uncomfortably full. Reena does the opposite: she starves herself.
Option (2) Bulimia nervosa — Incorrect. In bulimia the person eats excessive amounts of food and then purges the body of it by vomiting or with laxatives or diuretics. Reena does not binge or purge.
Option (3) Anorexia nervosa — Correct. In anorexia nervosa the individual has a distorted body image that leads her/him to see herself/himself as overweight. Often refusing to eat and exercising compulsively, such a person may lose large amounts of weight. Reena starves herself, exercises compulsively and weighs only 23 kg, yet sees herself as overweight in the mirror.
Option (4) Stomach disorder — Incorrect. A stomach disorder is a physical illness. Reena’s problem lies in how she sees her own body, which makes it a psychological disorder of eating.
Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2023 on 23-06-2023 (Slot 3).
NCERT (2025-26): “Feeding and Eating Disorders … In anorexia nervosa, the individual has a distorted body image that leads her/ him to see herself/himself as overweight. Often refusing to eat, exercising compulsively and developing unusual habits such as refusing to eat in front of others, the person with anorexia may lose large amounts of weight and even starve herself/himself to death. In bulimia nervosa, the individual may eat excessive amounts of food, then purge her/his body of food by using medicines such as laxatives or diuretics or by vomiting. The person often feels disgusted and ashamed when s/he binges and is relieved of tension and negative emotions after purging. In binge eating, there are frequent episodes of out-of-control eating. The individual tends to eat at a higher speed than normal and continues eating till s/he feels uncomfortably full.…” |