What is the eating disorder characterized by maintaining a body weight that is well below a healthy level?

The eating disorder characterized by maintaining a body weight that is well below a healthy level is anorexia nervosa. This disorder involves an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image, which results in extreme dietary restriction and severe weight loss. Individuals with anorexia often have an obsession with food, dieting, and body size, leading them to alter their eating habits significantly to achieve a weight that is often far below what is considered healthy.

In the context of other eating disorders, bulimia nervosa involves cycles of binge eating followed by purging to prevent weight gain, which does not necessarily result in a body weight significantly below healthy levels. Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food without compensatory behaviors like purging, and individuals may be overweight or of average weight. Orthorexia is not classified as a formal eating disorder but refers to an unhealthy obsession with eating foods that one considers healthy, potentially leading to malnutrition due to overly restrictive eating patterns, but it does not specifically focus on weight as anorexia nervosa does.

Understanding anorexia nervosa's distinct characteristics is crucial in recognizing and addressing the needs of those affected by this disorder.