What eating disorder is characterized by self-starvation and a fear of gaining weight?

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The eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and an intense fear of gaining weight is anorexia. Individuals with anorexia nervosa often have an extremely distorted body image, leading them to see themselves as overweight even when they are underweight. This fear of weight gain often drives them to restrict their food intake to severe levels, resulting in significant weight loss. Anorexia can have serious health consequences, including cardiovascular problems, bone density loss, and even life-threatening conditions.

In contrast, bulimia involves episodes of binge eating followed by purging, pica refers to the consumption of non-food items, and orthorexia describes an unhealthy obsession with eating only healthy, pure foods. Each of these disorders has distinct characteristics that differentiate them from anorexia.