Which statement best describes the symptoms of eating disorders?

• A. Fear of heights
• B. Extreme thinness and pursuit of thinness, fear of gaining weight
• C. Chronic fatigue without appetite
• D. Excessive energy and constant headaches

Answer: (B)

Eating disorders revolve around an intense preoccupation with weight and body image and behaviors aimed at controlling weight. The statement that describes extreme thinness and pursuit of thinness, along with fear of gaining weight, best captures this pattern. This combination is characteristic of disorders like anorexia nervosa, where individuals restrict intake and are driven by a strong fear of fatness, often resulting in significant weight loss and distorted body perception. The other statements point to symptoms that aren’t specific or typical of eating disorders—fear of heights is a phobia, chronic fatigue without appetite can arise from many other conditions, and excessive energy with headaches isn’t a defining feature of eating disorders.