Which behavior is primarily associated with anorexia but not bulimia?

• A. Self-starvation
• B. Purging after meals
• C. Binge eating
• D. Overeating at occasional meals

Answer: (A)

Self-starvation reflects the primary way anorexia nervosa manifests: severe restriction of food intake to achieve or maintain a very low weight. This deliberate caloric restriction is the defining behavior of anorexia, whereas bulimia centers on cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory actions like purging, which is why purging is more closely linked to bulimia. Binge eating itself is not typical as the main pattern in anorexia, and overeating at occasional meals doesn’t capture the persistent restriction that characterizes anorexia. So the behavior that best fits anorexia and distinguishes it from bulimia is the extreme self-imposed restriction of eating.