Question

Jordan has a healthy BMI but is afraid of gaining weight. Lately, she cannot control her eating habits and has been eating large amounts of high-calorie food at one sitting, often alone. She has been making up for her eating binges by vomiting immediately after a meal or by purging with laxatives. This pattern of behavior has been occurring thrice a week for the past four months. Which of the following is the most accurate guess about what Jordan is experiencing, given the above information?

A. Jordan has binge-eating disorder, but because of her purging behavior, which is a characteristic of binge-eating disorder, she is not overweight
B. Jordan has bulimia nervosa, so likely appears overweight
C. Jordan has anorexia nervosa, and her periods have likely stopped
D. Jordan has bulimia nervosa, but her weight may well be at a desirable level and friends may be commenting that she looks quite attractive at her current weight.

Answer 1

Jordan likely suffers from bulimia nervosa, indicated by her pattern of binge eating followed by purging. She could still have a healthy BMI, making the disorder less noticeable to others, despite its severe health consequences.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given the information that Jordan has been eating large amounts of high-calorie foods and cannot control her eating habits, followed by purging through vomiting or using laxatives, the most accurate guess about her condition is that she may be experiencing bulimia nervosa. This disorder is characterized by recurrent binges followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting or laxative use to prevent weight gain. Individuals with bulimia nervosa can maintain a normal weight, which might make the disorder less visible to others, potentially leading to compliments about one's appearance despite the underlying health issues.