Which of the following is characteristic of bulimia nervosa compared to anorexia nervosa?

Bulimia nervosa is characterized by periods of binge eating, which typically involve consuming large quantities of food in a short period followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, or fasting to prevent weight gain. This behavior distinguishes bulimia from anorexia nervosa, where the predominant symptoms include significantly low body weight and extreme restriction of food intake. While both disorders may involve a fear of weight gain, the hallmark of bulimia is the cycle of binging followed by attempts to compensate for weight gain.

Thus, the presence of binging episodes is a defining characteristic of bulimia nervosa, making this option the correct answer. In contrast, the other options relate more to anorexia nervosa or are common behaviors in both disorders but do not uniquely define bulimia.