Susan Barry knows all too well that eating disorders don't affect only girls and women. Her son died of anorexia at the age of 22.

"About 10 percent of the eight million people in the United States who have an eating disorder are men, though many of them go undiagnosed and suffer in silence, according to Judy Teffer of the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders."

Awareness of male anorexia is on the rise, thanks in large part to people like Barry who are willing to share their experiences. Barry currently writing a book about her son's battle with anorexia and poor body image, which started when he was in the eighth grade. Source: The Flint (MI) Journal

Labels: diagnosis, men, support

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: anorexia, diagnosis, treatment

Results of a new study by Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University have found that the DSM-IV criteria for eating disorders are not sufficient for accurate diagnoses. DSM stands for "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders". It is meant to offer a broad-based outline of diagnostic criteria for the medical community.

"Researchers noted that in treatment center programs for eating disorders more than half of the patients are diagnosed with an eating disorder 'not otherwise specified' (NOS)... 'The NOS category of the DSM-IV was intended to be a residual category of diagnosis... for relatively infrequent cases... '"

The fact that so many patients are being diagnosed with an eating disorder "not otherwise specified" indicates that eating disorder classifications in the DSM-IV are not broad enough. Read more at Huliq.com.

Have a teenager who has been difficult to diagnosis? The Aspen Institute specializes in providing a comphrehensive disagnotic picture of even the most troubled teen, and then offering a complete treatment plan.

Labels: awareness, diagnosis, treatment

The old saying goes that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". That's especially true of serious illnesses like eating disorders. Learning to recognize the signs that a young person may be prone to developing an eating disorder can help avert a potentially deadly condition.

"The researchers [from University College Dublin] went back to look at data from the 2002 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study involving 2,649 children. This showed that 32[percent] of the adolescents were underweight and, of this group, one in 10 'thought they were fat'."

The latter group, which also were more likely to choose a large silhouette as "mirroring" their body image, was identified as being at risk of developing an eating disorder. This group was also generally more unhappy, more dissatisfied with life and more likely to perceive themselves as 'not good looking'. Though they're general indicators, they can help identify a young person with self-image issues serious enough to lead to an eating disorder.

The Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment can offer a clear diagnosis and treatment plan for teenagers struggling from many common issues.

Labels: awareness, diagnosis, prevention

One of the signs that many doctors look for when diagnosing eating disorders in young girls is "secondary amenorrhea", or the starting and stopping of the menstrual cycle. A recent study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill warns that if a girl has irregular menstruation, eating disorders should be "on the radar".

"Nearly 80 percent of women with anorexia reported secondary amenorrhea, meaning they had begun having periods before age 16 but had stopped menstruating for at least three months in a row at least once. About 36 percent of women with bulimia nervosa had secondary amenorrhea."

The study's findings indicated that, though eating disorder subtypes can't be distinguished simply by a patient's menstrual status, irregularities should be a red flag.

Read more at nlm.nih.gov.

Labels: amenorrhea, diagnosis, signs_of_eating_disorders

Eating disorders are most commonly associated with women and young girls. But a recent study by Harvard researchers shows that eating disorders among men and boys may be more prevalent than previously thought.

"In the male population, adolescents and young adults are at greatest risk for eating disorders. Although the risk factors and signs of eating disorders are very similar in both males and females... the condition is more frequently overlooked and less likely to be diagnosed and treated in males. One reason for this is that most research, general information, and media attention is focused on the female patients with eating disorders."

Previously, it was estimated that eating disorders occurred ten times more often among women than men. The Harvard study, however, states that a ratio of 3-to-1 is more accurate. Read more at News.Nurse.com.

Boys struggling with their emotions coupled with learning disorders often lash out at the very people who are trying to help them. Stone Mountain School is a boys boarding school that can teach boys to control their emotions and also help with ADD, ADHD, and other learning disorders.

Labels: boys, diagnosis, manorexia

A study released today shows that eating disorders among Australians have increased from two percent ten years ago to almost five perfect today. Though extreme disorders like anorexia remained fairly stable, there was a sharp rise in so-called "minor" eating disorders.

"The study showed the number of people with regular eating disordered behavior - those who binged or displayed other extreme weight control problems at least weekly - had ballooned from 4.7 percent to 11 percent. And the people considered to have a full-blown eating disorder grew from two percent to 4.6 percent over the decade."

Unspecified eating disorders like fasting, purging and the use of laxatives were of special concern. Read more at News.com.au.

Labels: causes of eating disorders, diagnosis, research

Boys, men, and some ethnicities may cause doctors to overlook the possibility of eating disorders among these groups, according to researchers at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and the Stanford University School of Medicine.

"'We need to think more broadly about who struggles with eating disorders,' said adolescent medicine and eating disorder specialist Rebecka Peebles, MD, instructor in pediatrics (adolescent medicine). Peebles pointed out that diagnostic and even treatment criteria were developed with Caucasian women or girls in mind. 'We may not be asking the right questions for these other groups at all.'"

One of the studies conducted by Peebles surveyed the differences in eating disorders among boys and girls ages 8 to nineteen. The most common "alarm" for eating disorders is an expressed desire to be thin - but most boys express a desire to be healthy, not necessarily thin. And they aren't as likely as girls to starve themselves, but instead resort to over-exercising and severely limiting food intake, which can create the same damaging results. Read more at Huliq.com.

Labels: boys, diagnosis, treatment

Eating disorders often go undiagnosed in special needs children. Unusual eating patterns are often attributed to some other diagnoses.

"If you feel that your child has experienced unusual weight loss or weight gain, please consult the family doctor or pediatrician. If you are advised to 'wait and see' whether the change continues and still feel uneasy about your child's weight, consider a second opinion."

There are many reasons why the eating habits of a special needs child could change. Though parents shouldn't become alarmed, they should take note of the change and try to determine its cause. Read more at BellaOnline.com.

Labels: children, diagnosis, special_needs_kids