Sandra Wartski, PsyD, CEDS The severe stigma and bias associated with larger bodies is well established in eating disorders literature,1, 2 and we are aware that the many negative consequences of such attitudes are far reaching. Eating disorder professionals are especially aware of this prejudice, for it is interwoven in our work with recovering individuals of any size. We can often feel we are waging an uphill battle with our clients as we attempt to shift attitudes about body acceptance. However, we also know this bias goes far beyond our clients—this rampant societal movement affects ..read more

Relaxing the rules for lockdown as the COVID epidemic has wound down has been very helpful to end the isolation of so many, particularly people with eating disorders. Isolation was one large negative result of the epidemic and is often credited in the sharp upswing in eating disorders cases. One positive result of this has been the emergence of nationwide efforts to develop programs to identify eating disorders earlier (see “Update”). One issue that is unchanged is body weight bias, as author Sandra Wartsky points out (see “Changing Body Weight Bias: Things That Hurt and Help,” elsewhere in t ..read more

A number of states, including California, Texas, and Colorado, are sponsoring bills to help increase awareness and research into eating disorders. In California, for example, Assembly Bill 10 would require school districts, county education offices, and charter schools to develop and adopt policies and resources about body shaming before the 2025-2026 school year. In Colorado, a bill to create a state Office of Disordered Eating Prevention is working its way through the legislature. This program is aimed at closing gaps in treatment, offering research grants, and working to educate students ..read more

Future interventions should consider patients’ views Fear of gaining weight is one of the crucial factors that maintain some eating disorders, according to Dr. Rachael M. Butler and colleagues at the University of Louisville, KY, and Drexel University, Philadelphia (Eat Weight Disord. 2023. 28:29). While there is little research on the role of fear of weight gain during cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E), these researchers’ study provides some new data about dealing with this stubborn symptom. Fear of weight gain may originate from an overvaluation of shape and weight—a core symptom across ..read more

Many questions remain Exercise addiction (EA) is marked by exaggerated training and loss of control over exercising. Many studies now describe issues related to the concept of EA, but EA is still not included in the current edition of the DSM. A recent study attempted to evaluate reasons why relatively little information has emerged to pinpoint diagnostic signs of EA, and to review its connection with other psychopathology, particularly eating disorders. A team headed by Dr. Aviv Weinstein from the University of Ariel, Israel, and a team from ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hung ..read more

Two important areas for men may be missing in its current form Two areas on the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) are body concerns and body dissatisfaction. Both need improvement to better detect eating disorders among men, according to a recent German study. Dr. Nora M. Laskowski and her colleagues recently described the use of the validated German version of the EDE-Q in adult inpatient men with eating disorders as an improvement to the current widely used screening questionnaire (J Eat Disord. 2023. 11:34). They report that the current version of the EDE-Q could ..read more

‘New’ Eating Disorders Q. I have been hearing about “new eating disorders.” Can you explain? (J.B., Philadelphia) A. After the COVID pandemic, we have seen an increase in the incidence of eating disorders, along with a generally lower age of onset. Two disorders are being discussed more commonly after the pandemic. A recent editorial by a group of Italian pediatricians and child neuropsychiatrists has specifically referred to two of these “new” disorders, atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN) and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID (Nutrients. 2023. 15:1307). Both disorder ..read more

The Benefits of Early Intervention for Eating Disorders Comparison of the Eating Disorders Examination and the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire in Adolescents How Effective Is Internet-Based CBT For Bulimic Eating Disorders? Anger and Aggression Among Bulimic Teens Disparities In Access to Treatment for Publicly Insured Youth and Youth of Color And much more… The post In the Next Issue appeared first on Eating Disorders Review ..read more

By Kirsten Book, PMHNP, FNP-BC Eating disorders are usually diagnosed during adolescence and young adulthood, but the truth is that eating disorders do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, or race. Eating disorders may present at any age in women and men. Unfortunately, social stigma may get in the way of older adults getting the help they need. Betsy Brenner, author of The Longest Match: Rallying to Defeat an Eating Disorder in Midlife (Stillwater Publications, 2021), describes her own struggle in midlife when she began to battle eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. She re ..read more

The recently released new eating disorders treatment guideline issued by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) provides suggested approaches to treating patients with eating disorders. The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Eating Disorders(https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.books.9780890424865), 4th edition, replaces guidelines not revised for some time, and the new edition is welcome. These can impact coverage decisions by payors and, presumably, treatment decisions by treatment providers, so they are of importance to the f ..read more