9781422288498

Words to Understand

epidemic: An outbreak of a disease or medical condi- tion that spreads more quickly and more exten- sively than would be expected.

anorexia nervosa: An eating disorder characterized by a dis- torted body image and an inability to maintain a healthy body weight because of failure to eat. bulimia: An eating disorder in which periods of overeating are followed by periods of undereating or self-induced vomiting or use of laxatives. morbidly: Having the characteristics of a disease. prejudiced: To have opinions (usually bad ones) based on insuf- ficient knowledge or inaccurate information, often based on racial, ethnic, or physical characteristics. stigma: The shame attached to something that is regarded as socially unacceptable.