Scotland's first in-patient treatment facility for patients who are suffering from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa opened May 25 in Royal Cornhill Hospital in Aberdeen. In a May 26 post on the website The Med Guru, writer Neharika Sabharwal described what the new unit will mean to Scots who are suffering from anorexia:

Generally, patients with eating disorders are kept with patients suffering from mental illness. But Scotland’s first dedicated unit would make available a course of treatment radically different from that supplied in psychiatric units. Health specialists and psychologists will try to get to the root of the eating problems.

Previously, all serious cases of eating disorders were referred to private clinic such as Huntercombe Edinburgh Hospital in Uphall, West Lothian and the Priory in Glasgow. But now people from all over the country can avail the same amenities for the first time at an [National Health System] unit.

The unit shall basically cater to the patients within the age group of 18 to 65 years, but in some rare instances under-18s will be considered for treatment.

Experts estimate that about 83,000 Scots have some type of eating disorder, Sabharwal reported, though most of those cases go undiagnosed and thus untreated.

In the United States, individuals with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorders have a variety of treatment options, including entering a private residential eating disorder treatment program such as The Victorian of Newport Beach.

Labels: eating disorders, treatment

A May 25 article by Nick Owens of the British news website mirror.co.uk indicates a dramatic increase in the number of British youth who are suffering from eating disorders.

Owens reported a 47-percent increase in the number of girls under 18 who are suffering from anorexia and bulimia, and a 25-percent increase in girls under the age of nine who are being treated for these disorders:

The new figures also show the number of women needing hospital treatment has risen by 25 percent to 1,740 compared with 1,398 in 2004. The number of men being treated for eating disorders has also gone up, rising to 226 last year from 183 in 2004.

Health experts blame the increasing pressure on young people to stay thin for the rising number of anorexia and bulimia cases. In a recent poll of 3,000 teenagers, 75 percent said they felt they needed to lose weight after looking at pictures of skinny stars such as Kate Moss and Nicole Richie.

Susan Ringwood, chief executive of eating disorder charity Beat, said, "We are very concerned by these figures. We have heard of cases of people being told by doctors 'wait and see and come back later'. And these people get very, very ill before they get any help."

If you or someone you love is suffering from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or a related eating disorder, a residential eating disorder treatment program such as Montecatini may have the answers you are looking for.

Labels: eating disorders

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), has reported that about 11 million Americans suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

According to an April 30 article by Leslie Presnall, a staff writer with The Daily Reveille (the student newspaper of Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge), nearly one in five college-aged students reports having suffered from an eating disorder:

Julie Hupperich, Student Health Center associate director, said eating disorders can begin at any age, but there are certain risk factors for college students. "There are additional pressures on them," she said. "It's just being under high stress, and an eating disorder is a coping mechanism."

Hupperich said stress will trigger a disorder, or symptoms will escalate during times of stress. She said certain students in subcategories on campus are at higher risk. "It's been shown that particular majors are at risk, like dance majors and female athletes," she said. "And Greek organizations seem to be at greater risks."

A number of experts have argued that the prevalence of media images of unhealthy body shapes has contributed to the development of eating disorders among college students.

Labels: college_students, eating disorders

Anorexia and alcoholism aren't often considered to be related, but a new study suggests that there could be a connection between the disorders:

A study of two populations of adult women, those presenting for alcoholism treatment and those referred to a specialized eating disorder program, showed that 30 percent of the women in alcoholism treatment met the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder, and 26.9 percent of the women in the eating disorder program met the criteria for alcohol dependence. -- Source: The (Calif.) Desert Sun

The reason for this connection between anorexia and alcoholism has yet to be determined, but it serves as an important reminder to health care and treatment professionals to be on the lookout for co-occurring conditions.

The necessity of providing comprehensive care for women who are suffering from multiple conditions has inspired recovery centers such as The Victorian of Newport Beach, California, to establish dual-diagnosis treatment programs for women.

Labels: alcoholism, anorexia, dual diagnosis, women

An expert in psychiatric genetics as turned her attention upon the problem of binge eating with a new book titled Crave: Why You Binge Eat and How to Stop. The book was written by Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D, who serves as the director of the University of North Carolina Eating Disorders Program.

In a May 15 entry on the website of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, writer Mark Jacob noted Bulik's interest in the genetic component of eating disorders. "Bulik ... defines binge eating as consuming a volume of food that others would consider unusually excessive and feeling out of control while doing so," Jacob wrote. "She said research shows that eating disorders have a strong genetic component (47 percent in one landmark Norwegian study) and often are induced by extreme dieting."

Experts estimate that about 3.5 percent of women and two percent of men will be affected by binge eating disorder at least once in their lives.

The Crave website notes that "genetic predisposition, brain chemistry, psychology, and cultural pressures increase a person's susceptibility to binge eating disorder, but bingeing is not inevitable."

Labels: binge eating, genes

The Center for the Study of Collegiate Mental Health at Pennsylvania State University recently conducted a national survey of college campuses, which found that body image concerns weigh heavily on the minds of college students.

[Body image concerns] are often linked to depression, anxiety, hostility, social anxiety and family issues ...

Away from their families for the first time ... college students often feel [isolation that] may prompt the dangerous dieting that many times leads to an eating disorder. (Source: The University of Oregon Daily Emerald)

The line between dieting and an eating disorder can be a fine one, and concern over weight or eating habits are not necessarily "red flags." However, adolescents, teens, and young adults who worry about fitting in with a particular group, or who obsess over a certain body type, may be at greater risk for developing an eating disorder.

Though often thought of as a condition that affects only girls, eating disorders among young people can have devastating effects on boys, girls, young men, and young women.

Labels: body image, causes of eating disorders, college_students, eating disorders

Two students at St. Olaf (Minn.) College who are also eating disorder survivors have created an audio documentary that they hope will raise awareness about the disorder and encourage those who are suffering in silence to get the help they need.

In a May 12 article on the website of the Northfield News, writer David Henke reported on the efforts of St. Olaf students Erika Greiner and Elizabeth Rooklidge:

It started in seventh grade, Greiner recalled. She stopped eating for days at a time, and if she ever felt like she ate too much, she would run compulsively -- sometimes up to 15 miles a day -- until she felt better about herself.

The anorexia got so bad in high school, Greiner said, that she would pack a turkey sandwich for lunch to fool her parents and friends, and then secretly take the turkey and cheese off the sandwich, leaving only the lettuce and bread. Then she would take a bite or two of the bread, and, worried about eating too much, throw the rest away.

Greiner and Rooklidge interviewed six other women at St. Olaf who suffered from eating disorders for the 30-minute documentary, which is composed of a series of frank and moving audio clips charting each woman's struggle with her disorder.

"My hope with this is to give everyone who doesn't understand what it's like some insight," Greiner said in the Northfield News article. "And for anyone who is struggling, I hope that they will see that there is hope out there."

Labels: awareness, eating disorders

There has been an increasing body of evidence lately about the benefits of family meals. In general, children who often eat dinner with their families also eat less fast food, drink less pop, and make healthier food choices when they're not with their families. Also, girls who regularly eat dinner with their families are less likely to develop eating disorders.

Researchers are generally unsure exactly how family meals provide all these benefits, [Sarah] Woodruff says. It could be that eating with their families rather than in secret discourages eating disorder behaviours [sic], or that there is a 'carry-over effect' that helps kids make healthier food choices with their friends because of what they learn at home, she says, but no one really knows."
[Source: The Star Phoenix]

Researchers are also puzzled by the fact that positive effects of family dinners seem to be limited almost exclusively to girls. However, many pediatric health experts have long advocated on behalf of increased family involvement as a way of preventing a wide range of dangerous teen behaviors.

Labels: eating disorders, family meals, girls, prevention

One factor common among eating disorder sufferers is low self-esteem. An organization wanting to address the issue has chosen a curious name: Hey UGLY. UGLY stands for "Unique Gifted Lovable You."

They chose the name "UGLY" because it is one of the most negative words in our vocabulary. It is the word that tweens and teens use to describe others, and most significantly, themselves. (Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer Blog)

The goal of "Hey UGLY" is to empower students, both boys and girls, to be part of the solution to the problem of low self-esteem and poor body image among teens and adolescents.

Labels: self-esteem, self-image_issues, teenagers

Eating disorders are typically associated with teenage girls. And while most cases are still found in women, the prevalence of eating disorders in men is increasing.

"Patrick’s battle with anorexia started in college. A star lacrosse player in high school, [Patrick] struggled on his college team, and had a run-in with a coach. He began to doubt himself… He began exercising more and eating less, as little as 500 calories a day."
- Source: Mansfield (OH) News Journal

In the past, experts have estimated that about one in ten anorexics was male. Now that number may be as high as one in four. Increased pressure to be both thin and "ripped" is causing men to over-exercise and undereat.

Labels: eating disorders, men

In a May 6 commentary on the website Tennessean.com, the author of the eating disorder memoirs Life Without Ed and Goodbye Ed, Hello Me called for a comprehensive effort to eradicate eating disorders. E.D. survivor Jenni Schaefer wrote that improved education, better-funded research efforts, and greater insurance coverage are essential weapons in the fight against anorexia, bulimia, and related disorders:

Without help, many people [who have eating disorders] struggle for years and, if they do survive, they end up with serious long-term health consequences.

We have our work cut out for us if we care about turning these stories around. First, we must fight for insurance coverage to include eating disorders in every state. We must also call on Congress to insist that the National Institute of Mental Health significantly increase funding for research of eating-disorder treatment and prevention. In the U.S., eating disorders are much more common than Alzheimer's disease, but receive only a fourth of the amount of research funding.

Several other experts and advocates have noted that challenges related to awareness and financial resources prevent many people from accessing effective treatment for eating disorders.

Labels: awareness, eating disorders, insurance

A psychology professor at Emory University is attempting to prevent weight problems and eating disorders among students by offering a class entitled "Appetite Awareness Training."

According to a May 4 article by Helena Oliviero of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Professor Linda Craighead's students eat dinner during class, while talking about topics such as appetite, hunger, and emotional eating:

Craighead, who specializes in eating disorders and weight-management issues, said that although our culture glorifies thinness, it doesn't really promote a trim lifestyle, making it challenging to eat a healthy diet. From the boss who brings boxes of doughnuts to work to commuters facing long drives and ubiquitous fast food, it's easy to stray.

Still, she said, learning how to recognize stomach cues -- instead of eating out of stress or boredom -- can go a long way in battling the bulge. So does being proactive (Craighead keeps Balance bars and microwave-ready tomato soup with her at all times).

With weight concerns and eating disorders among teens becoming increasingly prevalent, Prof. Craighead told the Journal-Constitution that it is important for parents to talk to their children about healthy eating.

Labels: colleges, eating disorders, healthy eating

As the prevalence of eating disorders rises among even very young girls, parents sometimes feel helpless, fearing there is nothing they can do. And while eating disorders are triggered by a combination of things, there are steps parents can take to protect their children:

Throw out your scale and stop weighing yourself. Your child sees everything you do and seeing you weigh yourself has a significant impact on her perception of weight and body… Talk about foods with regard to how they can nourish her body, rather than their effects on her weight. Focus on health, not on calories, fats, or carbohydrates.(Source: PRWeb)

Remember to encourage physical activity for the sake of health, not weight control. The more a parent puts a positive focus on physical health, the less likely a child will be to risk that health.

Labels: children, eating disorders, parents, prevention