Final answer:
Bulimia nervosa typically involves binge eating and compensatory behaviors such as purging, not abnormal thinness, as it is common for sufferers to maintain a normal weight range.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a cycle of binge eating and compensatory behaviors like vomiting, excessive exercise, and the use of laxatives to purge the intake. One of the hallmarks of bulimia nervosa is the emotional turmoil that follows the bingeing episodes, often including feelings of shame, self-contempt, and depression. While a history of dieting and excessive exercise may be present, abnormal thinness is not a typical characteristic, which is more commonly associated with anorexia nervosa. Bulimia sufferers usually maintain a normal weight range, albeit possibly fluctuating due to their binge-purge cycles.