anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder. it is a physiological disorder that is characterized by undereating, due to an inaccurate body image. victims of this disorder are typically perfectionists that have trouble showing their emotions. karen carpenter's eating disorder started in 1967, when the group "spectrum" was still playing. because she was moderately overweight, her doctor advised her to lose weight. her doctor then suggested a diet called the "stillman diet." she drank 8 cups of water everyday and avoided high calorie foods. karen lost about 25 pounds from the stillman diet. after she became successful, she decided that she needed to lose more weight. in 1975, she lost so much weight that she became ill. at one time, she was only 80 pounds and 5'4" tall (five feet, four inches). a woman her height should be between 124 and 138 pounds. becoming aware of her illness, she decided to gain weight. in 1982, she was the healthiest she'd been, but her heart failed. it's been proven that she had been abusing laxatives and thyroid pills. she may have also abused syrup of ipecac to induce vomiting, but that has not been proven. on february 4, 1983, karen carpenter died at the age of 32 from heart failure.