Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person loses more weight than is considered healthy for their weight and age. People with anorexics may have an intense fear of gaining weight even if they are underweight. They may exercise too much, diet excessively, or use another way to lose weight. Often, individuals are obsessed with their weight and the food they eat. This results in the inability to maintain one's body weight within 15 percent of one's ideal body weight. There are two types of anorexia nervosa: the restrictive type and the binge-purging type. They regularly deny the seriousness of this disorder. Anorexia is a serious and life-threatening mental illness. Anorexia nervosa is an integral part of adolescent life. In today's society, there are many social norms that favor a thin body. Teenagers tend to admire the ultra-thin models that are displayed on billboards, on television and in magazines. When in reality the models are in poor health and malnourished. Teenagers strive to be like them and end up hurting themselves or even committing suicide. The media also plays a big role in anorexia. Many teenagers view celebrities as having perfect bodies. All teenagers hear is how everyone is losing weight and how much better they look. About ninety percent of people with anorexia are women between the ages of 12 and 25. Most of them have low self-esteem, even though they tend to do well in school. Even though they are thin, they still consider themselves fat. The pressure to fit in with the rest of society leads to, among other things, anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders. The cause of anorexia is unknown but many factors can play a role. A... middle of paper ... can be life threatening. Works Cited Wint, Carmella, and Winnie Yu. “Anorexia Nervosa.” : Presentation, causes and symptoms. July 25, 2012. March 25, 2014. Cushing, Tracy A. “Emerging Management of Anorexia Nervosa.” Emerging treatment of anorexia nervosa. July 12, 2013. March 25, 2014. Duckworth, Ken and Jacob L. Freedman. “NAMI – The National Alliance on Mental Illness.”NAMI. January 2013. March 24, 2014. Rogge, Timothy. "Anorexia nervosa: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." United States National Library of Medicine. February 26, 2013. United States National Library of Medicine. March 25. 2014 .