Is bulimia an eating disorder with severe caloric restriction?

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging. Binge eating is defined as consuming a large amount of food in a short period of time, accompanied by a sense of loss of control. Purging refers to behaviors such as self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative abuse to try to compensate for the binge eating.

Severe caloric restriction is not typically a feature of bulimia nervosa. People with bulimia nervosa may actually consume a normal amount of calories or even excess calories overall, but their eating habits are characterized by the cycle of binge eating and purging.

In contrast, anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by severe caloric restriction and an intense fear of gaining weight. People with anorexia nervosa may severely restrict their food intake, leading to dangerously low body weight and a range of physical and psychological health problems.