Artist's depiction of fear of weight gain. In the healthy full-grown adult, body weight remains more or less stable. A fear of gaining weight is most common in women and characterizes the eating dis- order, anorexia nervosa. Anorexia is also known as slimmer's disease". It affects teenage and young adult women who may see dieting as a way of controlling their lives. Sufferers tend to be obsessional in their habits, and some specialists suggest that anorexia is a true phobia about putting on weight. However, a fear of weight gain may also afflict those who already are overweight, or those who are obsessive about their physical appearance."