Anorexia is officially classified into two subtypes, a restrictive type and a type of binge eating and purging. Atypical anorexia nervosa is a subtype of other specific eating or eating disorders (OSFED). A person with atypical anorexia nervosa will meet all criteria for anorexia nervosa; however, despite significant weight loss, the person's weight is within or above the normal BMI range. Atypical anorexia nervosa is serious and life-threatening, and will have effects and complications similar to those of anorexia nervosa.
Narrow subtypes were created based on the appearance of any self-reported symptoms of binge eating and purging in the past month. These findings do not support the validity or clinical utility of classifying AN into narrower subtypes based on current binge eating, purging, and binge eating with purging, as little difference was found between groups reporting any combination of current binge eating and purging. Although these inconsistent findings potentially question the validity of the DSM-5 subtyping scheme, they may alternatively result from heterogeneity within AN subtypes. In summary, these findings do not support the validity or usefulness of reducing AN subtypes based on subclassifications of different types of bulimic symptoms, but they do provide empirical support for the subtype classification specified in DSM-5.Most individuals associate anorexia with the restrictive subtype.
which is characterized by severe limitation of food as the main means of losing weight. Therefore, the identification of significant subtypes is a potentially useful strategy for improving treatment efficacy. This study examined the usefulness of reducing subtypes of AN to restricting only binge eating, only purging and binge eating accompanied by purging. A person with this subtype of anorexia nervosa severely restricts energy intake and has also participated in recurrent episodes of binge eating or purging behaviors (e.
Future research is needed to reproduce these findings and further examine the subtype classification schemes of AN). Atypical anorexia nervosa is a subtype of other specific eating or eating disorders (OSFED) in which a person's body weight remains in the normal weight range despite significant weight loss due to limited energy intake.
