Which statement about weight is most accurate for bulimia nervosa?

Which statement about weight is most accurate for bulimia nervosa?

• A. Weight is typically well below normal range.
• B. Weight is usually in the normal range, with possible slight under or over.
• C. Weight is always in the obese range.
• D. Weight fluctuates wildly with each meal.

Answer: (B)

Bulimia nervosa often presents with a weight that is in the normal range because binge eating is followed by compensatory behaviors (such as purging or excessive exercise) that help limit weight gain. As a result, many individuals maintain a body weight close to average, with some cases drifting slightly below or above normal. This contrasts with anorexia nervosa, where underweight is common, and with obesity, which is not a defining feature of bulimia. Weight does not typically swing wildly with each meal; fluctuations tend to occur over weeks as part of the binge–purge cycle, not as a reaction to a single eating episode. So, the description of weight being usually normal with possible slight under or over best captures the typical weight pattern in bulimia nervosa.

Bulimia nervosa often presents with a weight that is in the normal range because binge eating is followed by compensatory behaviors (such as purging or excessive exercise) that help limit weight gain. As a result, many individuals maintain a body weight close to average, with some cases drifting slightly below or above normal. This contrasts with anorexia nervosa, where underweight is common, and with obesity, which is not a defining feature of bulimia. Weight does not typically swing wildly with each meal; fluctuations tend to occur over weeks as part of the binge–purge cycle, not as a reaction to a single eating episode. So, the description of weight being usually normal with possible slight under or over best captures the typical weight pattern in bulimia nervosa.