Quick reference
- When to use
- Use F50.00 when the client meets full criteria for Anorexia Nervosa, Restricting Type. Specify severity level per DSM-5 guidelines. For anorexia, base severity on BMI. For bulimia/BED, base on frequency of compensatory behaviors or binge episodes.
- Duration
- Anorexia: ongoing until remission criteria met. Bulimia/BED: behaviors must occur at least weekly for 3 months. Partial remission: previously met full criteria, some symptoms persist. Full remission: no criteria met for sustained period.
- Session codes
- Pair with CPT 90837 (60-min, often needed for meal planning + therapy). 90834 for maintenance. 96127 for EDE-Q screening. Medical monitoring may require coordination with primary care. FBT: 90847.
- Key indicators
- Restriction, bingeing, or purging behaviors • Body image disturbance • Weight/shape overvaluation • Medical complications • Functional impairment • Specific BMI or behavior frequency thresholds
What F50.00 represents
Anorexia Nervosa, restricting type, involves restriction of energy intake leading to significantly low body weight. There are no recurrent episodes of binge eating or purging. Weight loss is achieved primarily through dieting, fasting, and/or excessive exercise.
Key diagnostic criteria
- Restriction of energy intake relative to requirements
- Significantly low body weight for age, sex, developmental trajectory
- Intense fear of gaining weight or persistent behavior preventing weight gain
- Disturbance in body weight/shape experience, undue influence on self-evaluation, or persistent lack of recognition of seriousness
Restricting type: No binge-eating or purging in past 3 months
Specify: in partial or full remission, and severity (based on BMI)
Documentation essentials
Document weight, BMI, eating patterns, body image disturbance, and medical complications. Monitor vital signs and lab values.
Differential diagnosis
Rule out medical causes of weight loss, MDD with appetite loss, social anxiety about eating, and other eating disorders.
Treatment planning
Nutritional rehabilitation, FBT for adolescents, CBT-E, medical monitoring. May require higher level of care.
Insurance & billing
Accepted code. Document medical severity using BMI specifiers. Supports higher levels of care when warranted.
Updates & changes
DSM-5 removed amenorrhea criterion and added severity specifiers based on BMI.
Documentation pitfalls
Don't rely solely on BMI – consider individual baseline. Document medical risks. Always assess for purging behaviors.
References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.).