A young girl's death in Norfolk, England, has been blamed on delays in getting the treatment she needed for anorexia. Greater Norfolk Coroner William Armstrong made the comments at a Nov. 6 inquest.

Mr. Armstrong said he would make recommendations to both [National Health Service] Norfolk and the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Trust after the inquest heard there had been a five-week delay between her [doctor's] referral and an assessment by a mental health nurse.

Charlotte Robinson was first referred for treatment on April 30, but was not seen by a mental health nurse until the June 5. She was not admitted to a hospital for treatment until July 20, by which time she weighed just 77 pounds. Source: EDP24

Labels: death, mental_health, treatment

The latest dieting craze is called "Alternate Day Fasting," or ADF. Advocates say that the ADF regime is less dangerous than the fad it replaced - liquid detoxification diets - and two new studies seem to demonstrate that ADFs may produce some benefits.

A study from the University of California found that when mice eat only every other day, their fat cells shrink by 35 percent and they lose weight. Even if they eat only half as much every other day, their fat cells shrink 35 percent and they lose weight, although not as much as the first group. Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who fasted every other day for 21 days lost 2.5 percent of their body weight and 4 percent of body fat.

Scientists believe that an ADF regime may stress the human body in a positive way, activating SIRT1, a gene that helps the body use fats in the bloodstream for energy.

Liquid detox diets usually last between three and 21 days, and involve drinking dandelion tea or special lemonades made with maple syrup, or eating only raw vegetables and fruits. The idea is to rid of the body of environmental pollutants and "cleanse" the organs. However, several people have died from water intoxication or suffered permanent brain damage after following such regimes.

Labels: death, dieting, fasting

Nicole Roberge's struggle with anorexia nearly killed her. Her experience, combined with her concerns about eating disorders in young people, compelled her to speak to a group of middle school students in Connecticut.

"She emphasized healthy eating habits and shared her near-death experience with anorexia. Later, when a group of five students sat down to talk about their body image, most said they think life is easier for thin girls."

One young girl said that before hearing Nicole's story, she was considering not eating for a week, but Nicole helped her see how unhealthy and dangerous it was. Source: GateHouse News Service

Labels: death, health, support

A study by a group of doctors in British Columbia, Canada, has found that the life expectancy of individuals with anorexia nervosa is significantly lower than that of those who do not suffer from the eating disorder.

"Their number crunching revealed, for instance, that a woman who develops the disorder at age 15 will live on average to age 56 - 25 years less than the average Canadian female... About half of those who die commit suicide, while the rest succumb to medical problems..."

The B.C. specialists hope their study will help eliminate the stigma surrounding anorexia and other eating disorders, and will prompt both sufferers and the community at large to take the disorders more seriously. Source: Canadian National Post

Labels: death, health, life_expectancy

At the height of her eating disorder, Chloe Cook weighed just 70 pounds. When she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, doctors told her she was days away from death and that even if she recovered, she would never be able to have children.

"Now, however, the 24-year-old is the proud mother of a little girl - and her second child is due next month... 'I know that they have helped me to beat anorexia once and for all. I have to stay healthy to be a mother to them and that keeps me strong and positive.'"

Chloe's battle began when she was 17 years old. She thought she appeared overweight in some holiday pictures and decided to lose a little weight. Though her desire to shed a few pounds spiraled into a full-blown eating disorder, she has managed to regain healthy control of her weight and her life. Source: Daily Mail

Labels: death, infertility, recovery

A recent study conducted at the University of Vermont has found that people suffering from anorexia also have a significantly increased risk of suicide.

"Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. But psychologists previously believed that those high rates of death were due to patients' already deteriorated physical state... The new study's authors have shown this assumption to be wrong in most cases."

Researchers concluded that suicide attempts are not simply "cries for help," but that the patients are genuinely determined to die. They draw this conclusion based on the extreme methods that so many of the patients used to try and take their lives. Results of the study emphasize the importance of treating anorexia both biologically and psychologically. Read more at Time.com.

Worried that your teen is contemplating suicide? The Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment offers help for troubled teens by correctly diagnosing their issues and then creating a treatment plan.

Labels: death, mental_health, suicide

The past 20 years has seen an unexplained hike in juvenile diabetes. Most teens are careful to manage their diabetes well, take insulin shots and watch their sugar intake. Some, however, have discovered a dangerous way of losing weight - by skipping or reducing their insulin doses.

"'It's extremely dangerous. I just had to admit one girl to emergency,' [Louis] Geoffroy added. 'When a child is losing weight rapidly, that's a clear indication. But some are borderline and we can't tell them apart from those who have poor control over their diabetes.'"

Dieting is considered the strongest predictor of eating disorder development. Teens with diabetes are at greater risk because they must, in order to regulate their condition, constantly calculate the nutritional value of their meals. Read more at Canada.com.

Labels: death, diabetes, medications

Though it's not a medical term, nor is it a recognized disorder, the term "diabulimia" has been created to describe the practice of skipping insulin shots in order to lose weight. An estimated 450,000 people who have Type 1 diabetes are said to have resorted this dangerous weight loss tactic.

"Warning signs for diabulimia include a change in eating habits - typically someone who eats more but still loses weight - low energy and high blood-sugar levels... Frequent urination is another signal. When sugars are high, the kidneys work overtime to filter the excess glucose from the blood."

The dangers of skipping or reducing insulin intake are extreme for someone with Type 1 diabetes. Risks include falling into a coma, blindness, amputation, kidney failure and even death.

Read more at BeloitDailyNews.com.

Labels: death, diabetes, risks

An estimated 165,000 people in the U.K. have eating disorders. Of those, an estimated 10% die as a result of their illness, but some experts believe that percentage could be even higher.

"The emphasis on super-thin models has been blamed for the increase in eating disorders. Experts say that these can have an effect on how people perceive themselves, but the causes of eating disorders are usually more complex and are linked to general feelings of self-worth."

An estimated 5% of the girls in the U.K. are believed to have anorexia. Bulimia is thought to be three times more common. Read more online.

Outdoor therapy can help teens who don't respond to traditional therapy. Learn more about outdoor wilderness therapy at WildernessProgramsInfo.com.

Labels: body_image, death, self-esteem