What’s New in Eating Disorders? While few psychiatrists specialize in eating disorders, most of us see patients with anorexia or bulimia from time to time. It’s hard to ...
Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents Eating problems are common in children and adolescents, and eating disorders typically have their onset during these developmental periods.1Anorexia nervosa is a serious and potentially life-threatening disorder associated with severe food restriction, overexercise, malnutrition, and ...
Eating Disorders in Males: Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Males conservatively make up approximately 10% of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa patients (bulimia nervosa is the more common disorder). The typical age range at presentation is adolescence to young adulthood.1 However, for binge eating disorder, rates for males are comparable to those for females, and at presentation, patients are typically adults. Binge eating disorder is often associated with obesity and the medical consequences of weight gain.2
Orthorexia Nervosa: Disease That Masquerades as Health When you turn on a television, surf the Internet, or eavesdrop on fellow subway riders, you inevitably hear a constant drumbeat of worry about weight. As the average American gets heavier, images of beauty are becoming increasingly emaciated.
Refeeding Regimens for Anorexia Challenged A new study by Garber and colleagues1 is the first to examine conventional “start low, go slow” nutrition replenishment protocols for hospitalized patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) that have been recommended by professional organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association,2 for avoiding life-threatening “refeeding” syndrome.
Substance Abuse in Women With Bulimia Nervosa The high rate of comorbid substance abuse in women with bulimia nervosa (BN) has remained consistent in the literature. This article reviews the prevalence of substance abuse in BN and summarizes treatment approaches for persons with BN and comorbid substance abuse.
Chronic Eating Disorders: A Different Approach to Treatment Resistance Eating disorders in general and anorexia nervosa in particular are complex and difficult psychiatric disorders to treat. Empirical research has established effective treatments of bulimia nervosa. However, anorexia nervosa remains without effective empirically based treatments, especially for adult patients. A significant majority of patients with bulimia nervosa will have a good outcome; however, a small minority, approximately 10%, will be refractory to treatment.
The Role of Family Therapy for Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious psychiatric condition with a prevalence estimated at 0.48% to 0.7% among adolescent females aged 15 to 19 years.1 Comorbid psychological conditions are also common in patients with AN. Some 60% of patients with eating disorders have a lifetime anxiety or affective disorder. The mortality rates associated with this severely disabling condition are higher than for any other psychiatric disorder,2 with about half of the deaths occurring from suicide and the remainder as a result of the physical complications of AN. In addition, AN is an expensive illness to treat, with costs comparable to those for schizophrenia.3
