In short: Deliberate restriction of diet, dramatic weight loss and extreme fear of weight gain.

The effects on the body:

•    Extreme weight loss

•    Stumped growth in young men

•    Constipation and abdominal pains

•    Low blood pressure, dizziness

•    Bloated face, puffy face and ankles

•    Hair on the body (if sufferer is generally not hairy)

•    Loss of hair on the head

•    Poor blood circulation and feeling cold

•    Dry, rough and discoloured skin

•    Loss of bone mass

•    Loss of muscle mass

Psychological signs:

•    Intense fear of gaining weight and/or preoccupation with weight body shape

•    Counting calories and limiting food choice

•    Obsessive interest in food and what other people are eating

•    Distorted perception of body shape and weight

•    Reluctance to eat in front of others

•    Denying the problem

•    Changes in personality/mood swings

•    Becoming aware of an ‘inner voice’

Behavioural signs:

•    Rigid and obsessive behaviour towards food

•    Restlessness and hyperactivity

•    Wearing bid baggy clothes

•    Vomiting; taking laxatives