What is a key characteristic of bulimia nervosa?

The key characteristic of bulimia nervosa is recurrent episodes of binge eating accompanied by a sense of lack of control during these episodes. This behavior often leads to feelings of guilt and shame, prompting individuals to engage in compensatory behaviors, such as purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. The binge episodes are typically characterized by the consumption of large quantities of food in a short period of time, which further emphasizes the disordered eating pattern and struggles with impulse control. This aspect is crucial for identifying bulimia nervosa and differentiating it from other eating disorders or disordered eating patterns.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately reflect the nature of bulimia nervosa: consuming food in moderation represents a balanced approach to eating that is not indicative of the disorder, strict calorie counting implies a focus on restriction rather than binge eating, and continuous under-eating would align more closely with anorexia nervosa than bulimia nervosa. Each of these alternatives fails to capture the critical component of loss of control during binge eating, which is central to understanding the condition.