Which eating disorder is characterized by a refusal to eat, distorted body image, and fear of fat?

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an extreme aversion to weight gain, leading individuals to significantly restrict their food intake. Those suffering from this disorder often have a distorted perception of their body image, viewing themselves as overweight even when they are underweight or emaciated. This intense fear of becoming fat drives the refusal to eat and can result in severe physiological and psychological consequences.

While bulimia nervosa involves cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as purging, and binge eating disorder focuses on episodes of uncontrollable eating without subsequent purging, neither captures the complete refusal to eat that defines anorexia. Orthorexia, although linked to obsessive food choices, does not necessarily include the same level of body image distortion or fear of fat typically seen in anorexia nervosa. Thus, anorexia nervosa is the most fitting answer based on its specific symptoms and behaviors.