Anorexia nervosa is a pattern of self-starvation brought about by fanatical dieting. It is most common among affluent, well-educated adolescent patients in developed countries, where the pressure to be slender is especially intense. To be diagnosed as anorexia,patient must weigh at least 15 percent less than original body weight expected for her age and height; must show an intense fear of gaining weight; must show a disturbance in the way patient experiences them body's weight, shape, or size; and must have missed at least three consecutive menstrual periods. The anorexic patient resembles a skeleton, with protruding ribs, a skull-like head, and claw like hands. In most case, patient seems to enjoy the loss of each additional pound and denies that they is skinny. Yet patient often is so malnourished that patient must be hospitalized and forced to eat. Anorexia nervosa is an extremely dangerous disorder. The victim may starve herself to death or die from the medical complications of malnutrition