Final answer:
An individual can still be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa even without endorsing a fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, as long as they meet other symptom criteria for the disorder.
Step-by-step explanation:
An individual can still be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa even if they do not endorse a fear of gaining weight or becoming fat but meet all other symptom criteria for the disorder. According to the Mayo Clinic, anorexia nervosa is characterized by consistently eating very little and becoming extremely thin. People with anorexia nervosa often have a distorted body image and fail to appreciate their low body weight and the severity of their illness. This misperception, along with other symptoms such as starvation and excessive exercise, can still lead to a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa.