eMJA: Gilchrist et al, Box 1

Change of eating pattern
	Anorexic patients lose weight by adopting extreme dietary patterns. The range of foods eaten is narrowed, with particular avoidance of fats and carbohydrates. Patients start avoiding social situations where food is served.
Compulsive behaviours
	Anorexic patients: often develop compulsive behaviours centred around preparation of food, consumption of food, or bodily activities that help avoid a sense of fullness when eating; may have rituals about emptying bladder and bowels before eating; may develop eating rituals such as: food must be cut a certain number of times, food must be chewed for a definite time or a certain number of times, food must be consumed in a certain order.
Control of appetite
	Anorexic patients develop behaviours aimed at controlling their appetite despite their hunger. These include: frequent self-weighing; consumption of large amounts of water or diet drinks, or smoking cigarettes, to decrease appetite; abstaining from food. Some patients lose control of their appetite and binge-eat, which they follow by self-induced vomiting or purging to avoid the perceived weight gain.