A team of researchers from the University of Iowa at Iowa City has found that the types of purging methods used by someone with an eating disorder may indicate the severity of the disorder. The team also found that someone who purges frequently using the same method was more likely to suffer from anxiety and/or depression.

"The individuals who used multiple purging methods exhibited greater body image disturbance, were more restrained in eating, and were more concerned about eating, researchers found."

Keel and her colleagues evaluated the behaviors of 76 women with purging disorders and 35 with healthy means of weight control. The ones who used multiple purging methods didn't binge eat more frequently, and the ones who used the same method repeatedly were more likely to be diagnosed with a personality disorder. The research team hopes their findings will give doctors better indicators of the severity of a person's disorder.

Labels: binge eating, purging, severity

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Microsoft's Spain division has shut down four websites that were promoting anorexia and bulimia. The shut down came as the result of a request by Iqua, an Internet quality control agency.

"It was the first time in Spain that a company housing Internet sites has shut down web pages seen as promoting eating disorders following a complaint from authorities, Iqua said."

Spanish authorities banned another site in January that planned to run a "calorie-reduction" contest where girls could earn "points" based how drastically they were able to cut their daily caloric intake.

Labels: pro-ana, pro-mia

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Teasing children about their weights is a factor that creates both over- and underweight teenagers, according to a new study from the University of Minnesota.

Children who were teased about their weights were later more likely to become to become overweight and/or participate in extreme weight control habits such as vomiting or taking diet pills.

Researchers led by Dr. Diane Neumark-Sztainer surveyed 2,516 teenagers and found several other factors also put them at risk for extreme weight control measures including having a dieting mother, being preoccupied with weight, being teased by peers about weight issues, and reading diet magazines. However, teasing by family members was the biggest risk factor.

"It points to a need for extreme sensitivity when dealing with overweight kids," Dr. Neumark-Sztainer said. "My message is talk less, do more. If you put healthy food on the table, kids will eat it."

This study appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Labels: pressures, influences, relationships

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Anorexia, bulimia, purging and binge-eating are all different forms of eating disorders that can affect people at any time. Adolescents and pre-teens are often more susceptible to eating disorders because emotions are heightened and peer pressure increases.

"If your teenager is gaining or losing weight rapidly, it is worth taking note of their eating habits when you are in their company at meal and snack times. Take note of persistent refusals to eat or of quantities that seem voracious even for an already voracious eater."

If you're concerned, express your concern to your teen - but don't panic. Avoid talking about appearance, and instead discuss health concerns, and the benefits of taking care of the body.

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Labels: causes of eating disorders, healthy_eating, habits

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A new study from the University of Helsinki in Finland links low birth rates in adults to unhealthy BMIs in teenagers. BMI means body mass index, and is a measure of how much fat is in the body.

Teenagers whose BMIs were either too low or too high were more likely to experience fertility problems as adults and less likely to be married.

Dr. Liisa Keltikangas-Javinen tracked the weights of 1300 people ages 3 to 18 years in 1980. She found that those with too low BMIs had 10 to 16% fewer children, and those who were overweight had 32 to 38% fewer children.

This study appears in the journal Epidemiology.

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Labels: teenagers, effects_of_eating_disorders, fertility

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There are many treatment options available for people with anorexia. Various psychological, nutritional and medical treatments are offered, and choosing the "right" ones can be difficult. Parents who have teens with eating disorders may feel nearly panicked in their desire to find help for their children; a feeling that's exacerbated by the over-abundance of studies and opinions about different types of treatment.

"...a number of treatment methods are available to individuals with anorexia. The important thing is to diligently seek a mode of treatment that works for you. Right now, researchers may not know why one approach work and other one doesn't. Those are important things for us to learn. But on an individual basis, it's more important to find something that works than to know why it works."

Treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) often work well in conjunction with some form of nutritional therapy. Consider out-of-the-ordinary additions to traditional treatment - like massage therapy, which some say helps anorexic patients not only relax but start to develop a healthier body image.

Residential treatment centers, like the Youth Care, offer cognitive-behavioral therapy for a variety of issues.

Labels: anorexia, treatment, therapy

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When a teen is diagnosed with an eating disorder, it's important that he or she get help right away. "Help" often includes counseling, medical monitoring, and nutritional guidance. A support group can also be a great addition to an adolescent's recovery plan.

"ANAD [National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders] meetings provide a safe haven for individuals with any type of eating disorder who need support in their recovery and wish to express their feelings about their experience. Members can break their painful silence and find connection with others who share and understand their struggle. Individuals are encouraged to actively participate, but are never pressured to speak. Regular attendance is not required."

Support groups focus on recovery, and members often gain encouragement and inspiration from one another as they navigate the crooked path of recovery. Though it shouldn't be a substitute for individualized counseling with a trained professional, a support group can add another layer of care and increase the chances of full recovery.

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Labels: recovery, support, communication

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Websites that ask users to rate the attractiveness of pictures of participants may contribute to girls obsessing about their appearance, according to a study of adolescent females in Great Britain.

This summer the Schools Health Education Unit, a British research service associated with the University of Exeter, found that the biggest concern of girls ages 12 to 15 years old was their appearance. Half believe they needed to reduce their weight.

Researchers pointed to pressure from websites such as Myspace, Facebook, Assess My Breasts, and others that encourage girls to post pictures of themselves for strangers to rate on "attractiveness scales" of one to ten.

"There's so much pressure on young girls that many aspire to an ideal that is impossible for most of us to attain," said Dr. Natasha Bijlani. "They want to be famous, and some are so preoccupied by their looks that they miss out on academic opportunities, normal relationships, and veer dangerously towards eating disorders. When girls go online asking others to rate their looks and seek approval from people they have never met, the root cause is low self-esteem."

Labels: self-esteem, pressures, body_image

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Growing up, Gary Grahl was a popular kid. He had an active social life, excelled athletically and academically and was often asked out on dates. But he began to feel pressure to live up to other people's expectations, and that pressure eventually expressed itself as a full-blown eating disorder.

"I was afraid to gain weight,' he said, 'even though it was necessary to look like [famous movie stars and athletes]. So I started to lose weight when exercising and it got to be an addiction. I liked the control of losing weight.' He said therapy eventually forced him to recognize his three biggest fears: fear of growing up, fear of failure and a fear of his own emotions."

It took 17 years, but Grahl overcame his eating disorder. Now, he's published a book titled "Skinny Boy" that chronicles his battle with anorexia. Grahl is also a consultant for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders and a guidance counselor at Sturgeon Bay High School where he speaks to the kids about nutrition and healthy living.

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Labels: awareness, pressures, manorexia

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Family-based therapy (FBT) has previously been proven a more effective treatment than supportive psychotherapy (SPT) for adolescent anorexia. Now, the same has been proven for treatment of adolescent bulimia, according to a study funded by the National Institute for Mental Health.

"Daniel le Grange, PhD, of the University of Chicago, and colleagues randomly divided 80 teenagers with bulimia, ages 12-19, into two treatment groups, FBT or SPT... Six months after the end of treatment, 16 of the 41 participants (39 percent) who received FBT were in remission, compared with 7 of the 39 people (18 percent) in the SPT treatment group."

Family-based therapy empowers a teen's parents to take action and help their child stop bulimia-related behaviors. It also helps the parents separate the behaviors from the child and work with - not against - the child.

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Labels: family, support, therapy

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Italian model Isabelle Caro, who has battled anorexia for 15 years, is featured in a new ad campaign for a clothing line - but in the ads, she's not wearing a stitch of clothing. Shot by famous and controversial photographer Oliviero Toscani, Caro appears nude, exposing her 68-pound frame in the ads for clothing brand Nolita. The advertisements feature the slogan "No Anorexia".

"A statement from Flash & Partners [parent company of the Nolita clothing line] said Toscani's aim was 'to use that naked body to show everyone the reality of this illness, caused in most cases by the stereotypes imposed by the world of fashion.'... Caro, who also suffers from psoriasis, told Vanity Fair magazine she has longed to finally come out of hiding."

Some critics of the ad campaign say it places too much blame on the fashion industry, while others worry that it may actually promote disordered eating to those who are predisposed. Italy's Health Minister said the government supports the campaign and will do what it can to help "promote responsibility towards the problem of anorexia".

Labels: awareness, fashion, modeling

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Pamela Keel, of the University of Iowa, recently completed research on a little-known eating disorder simply known as purging. Purging is different from bulimia, in that women with purging disorders don't binge-eat. Despite that, they feel the need to purge, even if they've only eaten a small amount of food.

"The dangers of purging disorder are similar to those of bulimia: psychological problems, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances that can affect the heart and kidneys, and potential dental problems because of self-induced vomiting."

Keel conducted research from 2001 to 2005, during which time she studied three different categories of women: those with bulimia, those with symptoms of purge disorder and those with no eating disorder at all. If continued study supports purging as a separate disorder, it could cause the American Psychiatric Association to revise its eating disorder criteria, which could help doctors to adequately screen for purge disorders.

Labels: awareness, purging, dangers_of_eating_disorders

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