Purging disorder is an eating disorder characterized by the DSM-5 as self-induced vomiting, or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas to forcefully evacuate matter from the body.
[3] This syndrome is associated with clinically significant levels of distress, and that it appears to be distinct from bulimia nervosa on measures of hunger and ability to control food intake.
[10] Purging disorder progressing into bulimia nervosa has been observed, while it is extremely rare for the reverse situation, bulimia nervosa progressing into purging disorder.
This was observed once in a transgender patient with a severe history of bulimia nervosa but presented with symptoms of purging disorder to an eating disorder treatment facility in New Zealand.
[16] Children and teenagers with purging disorder have been found to have poorer health-related quality of life than their healthy peers.