An estimated ten of every 100 teenage girls struggles with either anorexia or bulimia. Despite widespread efforts by medical professionals, educators, and parents, this figure hasn’t changed much in the last several years.

In an article on theadvertiser.com, author Doreen Nagle discussed how learning to spot signs of an eating disorder can ensure that a teen gets much-needed help:

• Anorexia nervosa: A teen who is a perfectionist and super high achiever in school or other activities.
• With that said, [the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry] says that this teen likely has low self-esteem and irrationally believes herself to be overweight when she is clearly too thin.
• Seeking control over her life, anorexic teens find it in being able to say "No" to food. This lack of nutrition often leads to serious health disorders.
• In bulimia, the sufferer binges on foods (often high-calorie foods) and then purges by forcing herself to vomit or by using laxatives.
• Often, the bulimic will indulge in odd diets resulting in weight fluctuations.
• Self-induced purging is a serious concern since it robs the body of necessary nutrition, can damage organs and cause dehydration.

Labels: bulimia, signs_of_eating_disorders, anorexia

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As a student at the University of Georgia (UGA), Jilian McLendon's desire to stay slim devolved from a focus on health to the development of anorexia.

But unlike many students who are unable or unwilling to get the treatment they need, McLendon found the help that enabled her to overcome her eating disorder.

Julia Carpenter wrote about McLendon's experience in a Feb. 2 article on redandblack.com (a website that addresses issues of interest to UGA students):

Now healthy, happy and armed with a greater understanding of her past illnesss long-lasting effects, McLendon stressed that the disorder operates on two levels -- the mental and the physical.

"You have to gain the weight and get healthy again, but also mentally, you have to be ready for it," she said. "You have to be willing to get better." ...

University students suffering from an eating disorder can pursue three different avenues of treatment in Athens: [University Health Center Counseling and Psychiatric Services] , an outside psychology clinic or outpatient therapy.

McLendons father took her out of school and brought her home to be with her family.

Thats the best support, she said. The support of a family that loves you no matter what.

Labels: anorexia, family, recovery, eating disorders

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A Dec. 3 post by Jennifer Austin of EmpowHER.com discusses the under-reported but very real existence of eating disorders among older women:

In a recent study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, researchers confirmed that the very same eating disorders that affect young teens and waify supermodels also exist well into adulthood.

The difference between the generation gap is that older women appear to present with significantly higher rates of depression and other psychiatric disorders. &

Anorexia surrounding menopause can be particularly troublesome. Estrogen, already lowered by the menopause itself, takes an even greater dive when fat cells (suppliers of estrogen) disappear. This double whammy puts women at greater risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures among other issues.

Labels: anorexia, women, adults, eating disorders, osteoporosis

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Peter Rae, whose 18-year-old daughter died earlier this year of anorexia-related health complications, has expressed anger over the care his daughter received in days leading up to her death. Alice was admitted to a hospital Dec. 29, 2008, but was discharged just 20 hours later.

The matter was addressed in a Dec. 3 article on the Hampshire Chronicle website:

[Christine Rae] was admitted to Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital on December 29 last year. She was sent to hospital after telling a doctor she had spent the Christmas period sleeping all but four hours of each day.

"We had very grave concerns [about her discharge] with very good basis," said Mr Rae, a company director. "We had been told on admission she would be in for a number of days.

"We were very surprised she was discharged after 20 hours with no instructions other than to resume the treatment programme that was not working."

Winchester Coroner's Court heard that Miss Rae had become so weak she was unable to walk more than 50 yards and doctors at RHCH had discussed fitting her with a heart pacemaker. ...

Isabel Lewzey, who treated Miss Rae at an eating disorders clinic in Eastleigh, said her client had been angry about the treatment she was receiving.

"She felt that we were not taking her condition seriously enough and that she needed more than outpatient individual therapy."

Labels: anorexia, great britain, daughters, death

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Washington State University Tri-City students are about to get a unique glimpse into the struggles and dangers of anorexia. A Nov. 6 release on the WSU website provided the following details about a photography exhibit that will open later this month:

Skeleton in the Closet features 20 portraits by art photographer Fritz Liedtke of Portland, Ore. Each portrait is accompanied by a statement from the person in the photograph. The artist combined photographs and text to create a compelling narrative of life with an eating disorder, including what could lead a person down the path and the journey to free oneself.

The exhibit is open in The Art Center, inside the WSU Tri-Cities Consolidated Information Center, 2770 University Drive, Richland. Admission is free.

A reception at 12 p.m. Nov. 16 features an informational talk about eating disorders, delivered by Phyllis Morris, academic director of the WSU Tri-Cities College of Nursing. The talk is open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Skeleton in the Closet runs through Nov. 30. The Art Centers regular hours are 12 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, although campus is closed for holidays on Nov. 11, Nov. 26 and Nov. 27.

Labels: anorexia, awareness, art, photography

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Which eating disorder is worse, anorexia or bulimia? A woman identified as "Juliet from Elkhart, Indiana" sent this question to Dr. Robert Wallace, who writes a medical information column on the website of the Post-Tribune newspaper.

Juliet wrote that her cousin is anorexic, and her cousin's sister is bulimic. In his response, which was posted Nov. 8, Dr. Wallace noted that both disorders can be dangerous, but anorexia patients are more likely to die as a result of their condition:

Most experts would agree that with everything equal, those suffering from anorexia are at greatest risk because they always feel "fat" and rarely admit that they have a problem. On the other hand, bulimics are aware that their eating habits are abnormal, but they find it very difficult to stop for fear of becoming overweight. A higher percentage of anorexics die from their eating disorder.

Labels: bulimia, anorexia, advice

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The story is ironic, sad and true: A writer who worked as a food critic had a daughter who struggled with anorexia. While Sheila Himmel was judging Americas favorite and finest foods, her daughter Lisa was home starving herself.

California's Mountain View Voice recently reviewed the book that the mother and daughter wrote to chronicle their battle against anorexia:

[Sheila and Lisa] tell their story in a new book, Hungry: A Mother and Daughter Fight Anorexia, which they co-authored&. Hungry is not just another book about anorexia, of which there are many. It is also a portrait of how a confluence of societal and social pressures wreaked havoc on the Himmel family. As Sheila highlights in the book, their situation was fraught with a terrible irony.

Though writing the book was hard and painful, both mother and daughter told The Voice that they are glad they did it. Hungry underscores the obsession most Americans have with food and body image. It also tells a story of successful recovery  a story that many still struggling with eating disorders need to hear.

Labels: anorexia, daughters, parents, mothers

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A 44-year-old judge on a popular British dance competition show has revealed that he continues to experience eating and body image problems decades after struggling with anorexia. An Oct. 18 article on the website stv.tv provided the following details:

Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has confessed that he still has problems with his eating habits. The choreographer suffered from anorexia in his 20s.

He told Weekend magazine: "I think I've still got an eating disorder.

"I can eat healthily to a point then I will crack and binge - pizzas especially. I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it."

The 42-year-old admitted that the pressure of being a dancer led to have problems with his body shape.

Craig added: "When I looked in the mirror, I felt fat, so I didn't eat. Obviously, I couldn't have been fat at that weight, but I felt it."

Labels: anorexia, body image, celebrities, dance

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In her memoir, Insatiable, author Erica Rivera gives an unflinching account of her battle with anorexia and offers valuable insights into this dangerous, and sometimes deadly, eating disorder.

A review in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune provided the following introduction to Rivera's recollections:

The book& opens slowly, with somewhat stilted scenes that are apparently meant to establish the origins of her compulsion: a possibly anorexic and suicidal mother. A father who comforted with food. A brother who binged. A canoe trip where the pretty camp counselors remember their mascara but forget the food. (Lesson learned, says Rivera, that beauty is more important than eating.)

Once the stage is set, the Star-Tribune reported, Rivera writes passionately and eloquently about her eating disorder; the voices in her head, the obsession with food, and her seemingly uncontrollable need to rid herself of every calorie she consumed. Rivera also tells of how writing, both in school and and a local workshop, helped to save her life.

Labels: anorexia, surviving

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Doctors in British Columbia, Canada have determined that health impact of anorexia can a womans lifespan by about 25 years.

The B.C. specialists who published the research this month say they hope their dramatic life-expectancy statistics will both motivate anorexia patients to get better, and spur governments to more generously fund work on the condition, the Canadian newspaper The National Post reported.

Among the studys results was the finding that a 15-year-old girl who develops an eating disorder will die at age 56 -- 25 years sooner than the life expectancy of the average Canadian female.

Dr. Laird Birmingham, lead researcher and psychiatry professor at the University of British Columbia, said he also hopes the findings will counter the stigma often associated with anorexia and prompt more people to get help.

Labels: anorexia, life_expectancy

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Maggie Baumann never expected to get such instant and visceral reactions to her story. Posting on the Web blog Momlogic, she told her story of struggling with eating disorders while she was pregnant. Readers called her everything from selfish to criminal.

A July 16 article by Courtney Perkes of the Orange County Register provided the following details about Baumann's ordeal:

More than 20 years have passed since Baumann, who lives in Laguna Niguel, struggled with anorexia while pregnant. She's now a therapist who specializes in treating the shame and secrecy of eating disorders. But going public with her "pregorexia" in the instant vitriol blogosphere brought back painful emotions of how she harmed her baby and how she punished herself.

"I never imagined the depth of hatred I would receive," Baumann said. "My whole body was just numb reading these things. Then I started to understand where these people were coming from.

"Our readers had a very strong, visceral reaction to her post," Gillian Sheldon, managing editor of Momlogic, told Perkes via e-mail. "Many moms were outraged that her addiction put both her children physically in jeopardy  and made that opinion known. Other moms, however, related and applauded her work and ability to conquer her anorexia."

Anorexia among pregnant women, or pregorexia, is a very real and very serious condition that threatens the health of both mother and child.

Labels: anorexia, pregnancy, pregorexia

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Sheila Himmel is an award-winning food writer whose daughter, Lisa, fought a life-threatening battle with anorexia. The irony is not lost on either of them, and is a running theme in their new book, Hungry: A Mother and Daughter Fight Anorexia.

An Aug. 10 San Francisco Chronicle article by Katherine Seligman provided the following details about the Himmels' struggle, and their decision to write about their experiences with an eating disorder:

Lisa describes starving herself, her 5 foot 3 inch body so thin her hip bones hurt at night, and throwing up as many as 10 times a day.

Sheila writes about the depths of her fear, her family's history of depression, a relative's struggle with weight, the out-of-whack way Americans eat and her own relationship to food  she celebrates it, but admits she was flattered when people met her an invariably commented, "but youre so skinny!" ...

"The book isn't about blaming," says Sheila, sitting next to her daughter. "It's more about, 'This is what happened to our family. It can happen to anybody.'"

The summer after high school, Lisa had gotten help and seemed to be doing better. But college found her spiraling back into bulimia and she was eventually hospitalized. She has since made tremendous progress, attributing her recovery to an excellent psychoanalyst, a concerned high school teacher and a well-educated nutritionist.

Labels: anorexia, daughters, mothers

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A woman from Prince George, British Columbia, is embarking on a 450-mile journey to raise awareness about anorexia. Tara Levis is biking in memory of a friend who died recently after a long battle with the disease.

"My main goal, however, is to raise the public's awareness of this issue and to challenge the stigma around eating disorders and mental illness," Levis told the Prince George Citizen. "I hope my journey inspires those who are suffering in silence to realize that there is no shame in reaching out and asking for help before it is too late."

Tara will depart from Prince George Aug. 10 and plans to arrive in Maple Ridge Aug 23. All donations will benefit the Looking Glass Foundation, a summer camp for young people who are struggling with eating disorders.

Labels: anorexia, awareness

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A woman who spent her life savings treating her anorexia has been awarded reimbursement from National Health Services in Wales. The patient, named only as Miss S, spent about $30,000 in private treatment, after NHS refused to pay.

"The report revealed that Miss S, who comes from South Wales, became ill while staying with a friend in Plymouth. She received outpatient and inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa in the Westcountry." (Source: WalesOnline)

From there, as her condition worsened, she was referred to a unit that specialized in eating disorders. Health Commission Wales, which was supposed to fund the treatment, didn't.

The representatives who wrote the report referred to HCW's actions as "maladministration" and determined that HCW's failure to fund treatment had caused Miss S "injustice and hardship."

Labels: anorexia, treatment, great britain, finances

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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: anorexia, women, dual diagnosis, alcoholism

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"Normal" is a unique musical that peers into the dark, destructive world of eating disorders. Written by Yvonne Adrian, with lyrics by Cheryl Stern, the off-Broadway play opened in 2005.

Anorexia is not a common topic for a play, much less a musical, but [Artistic Director Chase Kniffen] and the cast of seven provide an open, in-depth and intimate view of the subject as well as the dynamics of the Freeman family as mother, father, daughter, and son struggle to come to terms with the layers of dissonance that would drive a young girl to starve herself ... [Source: The Richmond (Virginia) Times-Dispatch]

"Normal" doesn't offer a fairy-tale ending or magical solution. Though the question "Why?" is asked, it is never answered. The play is raw and real -- perhaps too real for some -- but it does an excellent job of educating the audience and exposing a disorder that is often kept hidden in the shadows.

Labels: anorexia, education, eating_problems, broadway

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A website that supports anorexia nervosa as a lifestyle choice has used a picture of British TV presenter Fearne Cotton as a role model, and Cotton said she is horrified. She discovered the picture while filming a documentary about the dangers of eating disorders.

Viewers [of the documentary] see her shriek: 'Oh my God, what the hell's my name doing there? That's the worst thing I've ever seen. ... To think girls would use that is horrific. ... I don't want to be associated with anything like this.'

Filming of the documentary also took Cotton to a West London school where elementary school girls complain to her about being fat or needing to diet. Cotton said she learned a lot about the complexities of eating disorders and hopes that her documentary will help one or two girls shift their attention from weight to something more positive.

Source: The Mirror (UK)

Labels: anorexia, pro-ana, celebrities

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A small study of anorexic girls found that the eating disorder might cause abnormalities in bone structure and density.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School used computer tomography (CT) scans, instead of x-rays, for the new study. They compared the bone scans of ten anorexic girls ages 10 to 18 years old with those of ten age-matched girls who didn't have the disorder. The anorexic group showed changes not only in bone density, but also in structure.

"Adolescence is the most critical period for growth of bone mass, and the onset of anorexia interferes with that process," said Miriam A. Bredella, M.D., musculoskeletal radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School. "Impairment of bone development may permanently alter bone structure and increase the risk of fractures and osteoporosis in adult life."

Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by fears about gaining weight and consequently over-dieting to the point of starvation. Anorexics think of themselves as fat even when they are dangerously thin. The disorder affects about one percent of all young women and teenage girls.

Labels: anorexia, bone_density, bone_loss

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Researchers with Children's Hospital Boston have determined that teen girls who force themselves to throw up - even as little as one time per month - are at risk for a wide range of health disorders, including irregular menstruation.

Self-induced vomiting, which is primarily done as a form of weight control, can wreak considerable havoc on developing bodies, said S. Bryn Austin, one of the researchers who was involved in the study.

"Given that adolescence is the period of peak bone development and that normal hormonal functioning is essential for healthy bone growth, we are especially worried that these girls may be setting themselves up for a host of health problems, including low bone density, stress fractures, and osteoporosis later in life," Austin said.

The Children's Hospital study, which was published in the May 2008 edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health, was based on an analysis of 2,791 girls who participated in the National Eating Disorders Screening Program. The report revealed the following statistics about the effect of forced vomiting:

• Twelve percent of the high school girls who were studied reported having forced themselves to throw up at least once in the previous three months.


• Girls who vomited one to three times a month were 1.6 times more likely to experience irregular menstruation than were girls who never forced themselves to throw up.
• Girls who vomited four times or more each month were 3.2 times more likely to have an irregular cycle.

According to a May 27, 2008, New York Times article on the study, self-induced vomiting has been associated with a range of other medical problems, including electrolyte imbalances (which can lead to heart conditions), dental enamel erosion, and tears in the esophagus.

Labels: anorexia, side_effects, vomit

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A 15-year-old girl who has spent most of her life dieting wrote a letter to a Pennsylvania newspaper advice columnist to express concerns that she may be anorexic. She shared her story (which includes teasing by family members) and symptoms (which include four months of missed periods), and asked for advice.

"Your obsession with your weight and your changed attitude toward eating are certainly warning signs for anorexia, but it's not possible to know if you are too thin without more information. I recommend an appointment with your family physician... The Internet is an excellent source of information, but spending time with a professional who can listen to your individual needs will help most."

The advice columnist noted that missed menstrual periods are also a potential sign of anorexia, though other causes could be to blame. She also suggested that the girl address the matter with her family, to tell them how she feels when they tease her and to ask them to stop. Source: Observer-Reporter

Labels: diagnosis, anorexia, treatment

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New research suggests that girls who suffer from anorexia nervosa may grow to a normal height. Results of the study contradict the commonly-held belief that sufferers' growth is stunted.

"During normal puberty, levels of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth-factor-1 (IGF-1) rise, triggering a growth spurt.... It's possible.... that this process of growth and bone aging is delayed in girls with anorexia, giving them a chance to reach their full potential height after they recover."

The study's author, Dr. Rajani Prabhakaran of Harvard Medical School, did note that height stunting became an issue in girls who suffered from anorexia for 2 ½ years or more. Source: Reuters

Labels: anorexia, hormones, growth

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It's well-known that anxiety disorders are more common among people with anorexia. But a team of researchers has found that childhood anxiety is not only a precursor to eating disorders, but may determine a disorder's severity.

"In general, the researchers found, women with a history of childhood anxiety exhibited 'more extreme personality traits' and attitudes - like perfectionism and obsessive tendencies related to food - than women without a history of early anxiety disorders."

The research team believes this newly discovered link emphasizes the importance of discovering and treating anxiety disorders early. Source: Parent Center

Labels: anxiety, anorexia, causes of eating disorders

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Though they tried for months to contain the rumors, the Versace family released a statement this week stating that daughter Allegra is battling anorexia.

"No one who has ever had anything to do with an anorexia sufferer, witnessed the torment of their parents and family, could do anything other than wish the Versaces all the luck in the world to see Allegra through it, and all the solitude and privacy she may crave in which to get better."

Some are not surprised to hear about Allegra's multi-year struggle with anorexia, and believe that this announcement is further proof of the negative effects the fashion industry has on young, female psyches. Read more at Independent.co.uk.

Labels: anorexia, fashion, modeling

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As a psychiatrist, Dr. Harvey Widore, M.D. has had many patients who struggled with eating disorders. In this multi-part article series, he shares the story of one girl - Debbie - who weighed less than 100 pounds when he first met her.

"...when she walked into my office for our initial meeting, Debbie's legs looked like sticks. Protruding above the jacket, her skull-like head barely balanced on her spinal column, the virtual absence of neck muscles giving her the appearance of a bobble-head doll. Had she taken off the jacket I would have seen that her body had no breasts, no stomach, no buttocks - all victims of the soft tissue and muscle atrophy that follows severe protein deprivation. Debbie looked like a concentration camp victim, but the agent of her starvation was not a concentration camp guard. It was Debbie herself."

Many in the medical community believe that the number of deaths attributed to eating disorders is too low. Often, the cause of death is said to be cardiac arrest or some other condition which is actually brought on by the eating disorder.

Looking for an eating disorders treatment program? Visit our directory of resources to find a treatment program for eating disorders today.

Labels: anorexia, starvation, health_care

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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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Until recently, doctors associated anorexia with teenage, Caucasian girls who succumbed to the pressure to be "perfect". But the increasing diversity of anorexic patients is causing doctors to question its origin.

"Seven years ago 'the idea of seeing a 9- or would have been 10-year-old anorexic would have been shocking and prompted frantic calls to my colleagues. Now were seeing kids this age all the time,' [David] Rosen says. There's no single explanation for the declining age of onset, although greater awareness on the part of parents certainly plays a role."

Because the pre-teen and early teen years are a critical growth period for children, anorexia can be especially damaging to a young person's health. Debilitating conditions like low blood pressure, decreased heart function and drops in testosterone or estrogen can affect children within months. Read more at MSNBC.com.

New Leaf Academy is a private boarding school for middle school girls. Young girls' potential is impacted by their early-stage emotional and developmental needs. Learn more about their private school for girls.

Labels: anorexia, young_girls, development

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Nikki Grahame may not be as famous in the United States as she is in the United Kingdom, but her struggle with anorexia is a lesson for people around the world. One of the stars of Big Brother 7, Grahame was hospitalized as a child and even slipped into a coma because of her illness. Now, she's admitted that she's unable to have children.

"She told OK! Magazine: 'I might adopt because I can't have children, because of all the internal damage I've done to myself with the anorexia. I found out about it a while ago and it is a shame. It's inevitable though, with anorexia.'"

Grahame has also been diagnosed with osteoporosis, a condition that's usually found in people who are much older. Read more at DigitalSpy.co.uk.

Therapeutic boarding schools, like Bromley Brook School, offer accredited academics and counseling to help students deal with behaviors that may be preventing them from growing into a healthy adult. Learn more about Bromley Brook private boarding schools for girls.

Labels: anorexia, effects_of_eating_disorders, infertility

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Recent studies have some in the medical community raising their eyebrows and asking hard questions. The studies focus on a type of "diet" called Calorie Restriction and claim that reducing caloric intake may slow down the aging process. But is Calorie Restriction actually an unrecognized type of eating disorder?

"Although we don't know yet whether the longevity benefits extend to humans, a number of people have put themselves on draconian diets in the hope of living loner. They refer to their regimen as CR (calorie restriction) or CRON (calorie restriction with optimal nutrition), and they call themselves CRONies... Like anorexics, CRONies discover in starvation an apparent solution to their problems: a source of energy (at least at first), a sense of purpose, and relief from stress."

Thus far, no one from the eating disorder field has adequately explained the difference between calorie restriction and anorexia; why one is an accepted type of diet while the other is an eating disorder.

Read more at Slate.com.

Labels: anorexia, dieting, calorie_restriction

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The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health is launching a four-year study on early intervention treatments for adolescents with eating disorders. The study will begin accepting patients on May 1st.

"The study... will examine two early intervention treatment approaches in 240 young people, ages 12 to 18, who've been diagnosed with anorexia. The children's parents will play an important role in the study."

Recent research has found that some people may be genetically pre-disposed to eating disorders, making early intervention extremely important. Intervention programs that involve family members often prove to be the most successful, which is why they're the focus of this particular study. Read more online.

Labels: anorexia, mental_health, intervention

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Anorexia and bulimia may get all the publicity, but the most common eating disorder in the United States is binge eating.

Binge eating is uncontrolled eating that occurs at least once a week. Afterwards people usually compensate for their binge by dieting, fasting, using laxatives or "exercising it off."

Researchers at Harvard University Medical School and McLean Psychiatric Hospital interviewed 9,000 people all over the United States about their eating habits and mental health. They found that 3.5% of women and 2% of men are binge eaters. Their disorder tends to last more than eight years. It puts them at a higher risk for obesity and diseases like stroke, heart attack, and diabetes.

All three eating disorders are more common among young people ages 18 to 29, and especially among people who were anxious and depressed.

About 1.5% of men and 0.5% of men suffer from bulimia or vomiting to control one's weight. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that can cause people to diet until they are starving to death. The researchers found that it affects less than l% of American women and only 0.3% of men.

This study appears in the February issue of Biological Psychiatry.

Labels: bulimia, anorexia, binge eating

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A ten-year long study funded by the National Institute of Health has found that some people may be genetically predisposed to anorexia nervosa. The study found that someone who had a family member who struggled with anorexia was 12 times more at risk of developing the illness.

"'Genetics loads the gun. Environment pulls the trigger,' said [Craig] Johnson, the director of the eating disorders unit at Laureate Psychiatric Hospital in Tulsa..."

The study's authors acknowledge that genetics doesn't guarantee that someone will develop anorexia, but that it could make a person more sensitive to the environmental conditions which often trigger the illness. Read more online.

Labels: anorexia, research, genes

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Kirsten Haglund was crowned Miss America in 2008. Shortly thereafter, she began speaking openly and honestly about her struggles with eating disorders. Her battle was triggered while she was at a youth ballet camp, where she felt all the other girls were skinnier and more talented than her. In an effort to keep up, she began limiting her food intake.

Haglund recently spoke about her experiences during an event that was sponsored by Montecatini, an eating disorder treatment program in Southern California.

At first, her strategy produced some success. She started to look like the other dancers. But slowly she fell behind: Essentially starving her body, she lost energy and muscle tissue.

"You start to see a positive effect, you see a glimmer of light, where you’ll finally feel totally in control, then you’ll finally be thin enough and finally be successful enough. It keeps you reaching for that, but it’s a lie. You’ll never get there." (Source: The Orange County Register)

Haglund eventually got help when her mother forced her to see a doctor. She was furious and didn’t want to go, but it was the necessary first step in her recovery, she said.
 

Labels: anorexia, awareness

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Jeremy Gillitzer was in his mid-30s when he contacted a local newspaper in the fall of 2007 and offered to tell his story. Weighing just 88 pounds, he suffered from anorexia – a disorder more commonly associated with young women. On June 7, the reporter who originally interviewed Jeremy made the sad announcement that he had died.

“I [had] visited Jeremy at Methodist Hospital’s Eating Disorder Institute, bringing him a book to help him pass the time,: Jeremy Hoffman wrote. "He was the only male in a ward full of women, all of them with the hollow, wispy look common to advanced anorexia.” [Source: Minneapolis City Pages]

Gillitzer wanted to reach as many people as possible, in the hopes that some would be deterred from engaging in disordered eating habits. Though his voice has been silenced, his story will continue to educate people about the very real dangers of anorexia and other eating disorders among men.

Labels: men, anorexia, death

Posted By: CRC Health 1 Comment

Rina Ranalli’s daughter has anorexia. When researching their options, she and her husband decided on a different form of treatment for their daughter. Rather than sending her to a therapist, they started treating her at home.

[The] Ranalli family was using the little-known Maudsley Approach, a grueling but evidence-based treatment for adolescents suffering from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. The approach, also called ‘family-based therapy,’ flips conventional treatment on its head… parents immediately start the daunting task of ‘re-feeding’ their malnourished child.

Once weight is restored – and, theoretically, rational thinking returns because the brain has some nourishment – parents step back, and control over eating is gradually returned to the child. [Source: St. Louis Tribune]

Opponents of this approach say it ignores the psychological issues that often accompany eating disorders. Still, clinical trials have found the approach effective, which gives both parents and patients some much-needed hope.

 

Labels: anorexia, parents

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

A professor from the University of Washington is leading a new study to determine which of three treatments works best on individuals who are struggling with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa.

Professor Susan Byrne will provide ten months of free treatment to 200 anorexic adults from various cities in Australia. The aim of the treatments is to restore them to normal weights and healthy eating habits.

• The treatments under consideration are Enhanced Cognitive Behavior Therapy developed at the Oxford University, the Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults, developed in the Maudsley Hospital in London, and the Specialists Support Clinical Management for Anorexia Nervosa designed in New Zealand.
• The Maudsley approach enlists the patient's entire family into treatment.
• The New Zealand approach involves clinical management and supportive therapy
• Enhanced Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a short-term therapy focused on symptoms and thinking processes that maintain the eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by an excessive fear of gaining weight and disordered eating patterns. One in five anorexics die within 15 years, which means the disease has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder.

Labels: anorexia, treatment, research

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

Jena Morrow struggled with a negative body image from a very young age. By age 11, she had been diagnosed with anorexia and underwent treatment. Two years later, she was at a healthy weight, and seemed to have recovered. However, like many students who struggle with eating disoders, Morrow relapsed when she went away to college.

“When college came around she saw it as the perfect opportunity to relapse into her old habits. ‘Out from under the watchful eye of teacher[s] and parents, I sort of figured that if I leave college with a degree that would be a perk but my real goal was to get thin,’ [Jena] said.” [Source: The Daily Campus (Southern Methodist University)]

During her first two months on campus, Jena lost 40 pounds, sparking concern from her roommate, friends and even her professors. She didn’t fully recover until she entered a 12-month residential treatment program. 

Earlier this year, Jena released a book, Hollow: An Unpolished Tale, about her struggle with anorexia. She hopes it will encourage others to continue seeking treatment – like she did – until they find something that works.
 

Labels: anorexia, college_students, awareness

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

Anorexia nervosa is among the most challenging mental disorders for rehab facilities to treat successfully. Many individuals who suffer from the condition simply relapse after completing treatment. Now, a new study has found that genetics may be at the heart of this grim reality.

A team of researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia analyzed genetic data from more than 1,000 participants with anorexia. The information was compared to data from individuals who did not have the condition.

The researchers found that individuals who suffered from anorexia had certain genetic variants in common. The findings confirm smaller studies conducted previously among twins, which showed common genetic markers among individuals with the disorder.

While anorexia is relatively rare, it affects a disproportionate number of women. In addition to explaining the association among families, the results of the study could clear up the reasons behind these gender differences.

Researchers said that the findings could help them determine through hereditary associations individuals who are at the greatest risk of developing anorexia. This could make it easier for these individuals to seek treatment from rehab facilities in the earliest stages of the condition, while it is most treatable.
 

Labels: anorexia, genes

Posted By: Staff Writer 0 Comments