Anorexia Nervosa
Eating Recovery Center In the News: EverydayHealth.com
Anti-Obesity Ads: How Far is Too Far in Addressing Childhood Obesity?
In her most recent EverydayHealth.com blog posting, Julie Holland examines the issue of campaigns designed to combat childhood obesity rates. While childhood obesity is a serious health concern, are anti-obesity campaigns effective in addressing the issue or do they shame and stigmatize overweight and obese children? Read an excerpt of the article below, or click here to read Julie’s blog post in its entirety.
There’s no argument that childhood obesity is a serious health concern. More than one-third of children ages 10-17 are obese or overweight* and obesity rates among U.S. children grew from 14.8 percent in 2003 to 16.4 percent in 2007.**
Obesity is related to more than 20 major chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes, and children who are obese are more than twice as likely to die prematurely before the age of 55 compared to healthy-weight children.***
Education and nutritional intervention is key to combating childhood obesity rates; however, are anti-obesity ads effective in addressing the issue or are they crossing a line into body shaming?
As some of my readers may already know, I struggled with eating disorders from the time I was seven years old through much of high school. From a very young age I battled with negative body image and a low self-esteem; being perceived by my peers as the “fat girl in class” was never easy. This perfect storm of factors triggered an onset of binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa until I was nearly 20 years old.
Many obesity prevention campaigns promote balance and moderation, practices I agree with and that I think we can all support. However, a recent anti-obesity campaign in Georgia has come under fire for, according to critics, shaming and stigmatizing children who are obese. It probably goes without saying that this anti-obesity campaign hits close to home for me. Although I’ve been in recovery from my eating disorder for 30 years now, maintaining a positive body image and self-esteem is something I work on each and every day. When I see TV ads identifying overweight children as “fat” and placing a negative connotation on that label, I worry about what someone genetically predisposed to an eating disorder might think and feel.
Posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating, Bulimia Nervosa, EverydayHealth.com, General, In the News •
Eating Recovery Center In the News: ModernMom.com
Could Your Weight Loss Resolve have Unintended Consequences?
Could your New Year’s resolution have unintended consequences for your kids? As millions of Americans resolve to lose weight in 2012, parents need to be aware that their new diet and fitness regimens could have a potentially negative outcome – triggering eating disorders or body image issues in their children.
Because children often will mirror their parents, experts urge parents to be mindful with their food- and body-focused words and behaviors while undertaking New Year’s resolutions.
“Children and teens are very susceptible to picking up value judgments about body shape and size,” said Elizabeth Easton, PsyD, clinical director of Child and Adolescent Services at Eating Recovery Center, an international treatment center for anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders. “If we teach them – through dieting, over-exercise and critiques of our own bodies – that there is a ‘good’ body type, then that is exactly what children will strive for at all costs if they are susceptible to an eating disorder or poor body image.”
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, weight and body consciousness among children begins at very young ages, with research finding that 81 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat and 46 percent of 9- to 11-year-olds are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets.
More than one-third of “normal dieters,” many of whom begin dieting at young ages, progress to pathological dieting, a condition marked by continual dieting and from which 20 to 25 percent of individuals develop eating disorders. When considered alongside a recent Thomson Reuters and National Public Radio poll, which reveals that one-third of Americans have made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight in the last five years, this research illustrates the perfect storm parents can unknowingly initiate by adopting aggressive or unhealthy weight loss regimens.
Read more here on ModernMom.com.
Posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating, Bulimia Nervosa, General, In the News •
Eating Recovery Center In the News: Family Goes Strong
Parents: Important Advice About Your College Student and Eating Disorders
Elizabeth Easton, PsyD, Clinical Director of Child and Adolescent Services at Eating Recovery Center, recently contributed her insights to Family Goes Strong, a website committed to sharing wisdom, research and information relevant to the so-called Baby Boomers, who are increasingly involved in the care of their aging parents while raising their own children. Dr. Easton shared do’s and don’ts for parents that are concerned their college-aged children may have an eating disorder. Read an excerpt of the article below, or view it in its entirety here.
College students have tremendous pressures on them these days. As parents and grandparents we read, hear and worry a lot about binge drinking and drug use on college campuses. There are quieter but equally destructive – in fact, even deadly – ways college students are harming their health as well: eating disorders.
In Parents: 10 Winter Break Warning Signs of Eating Disorders in Your College Students, I shared expert advice on what parents should look out for while your
college students are home for the holidays. Experts stressed that parents and other family members should be “vigilant,” especially with college freshmen.
Here, I’d like to share more expert advice on what to do and say if you suspect a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder — especially a college student coming home for visits. Maybe they are starving themselves with anorexia or bingeing and purging with bulimia. Or both. Whatever disordered relationship they may have with food, it means they are in crisis, in pain, and need your intervention.
Elizabeth Easton, PsyD, is the clinical director of child and adolescent services at Eating Recovery Center. She offers some “dos and don’ts” for parents or other family members who become concerned about a loved one’s eating habits.
As Dr. Easton explains, there are two possible scenarios as your loved one returns home from college for a visit and you suspect an eating
disorder:
Weight Loss and Depression: “Your loved one has lost a significant amount of weight, become very isolative or socially withdrawn and appears more pre-occupied with weight and/or food.”
Obsession with Exercise: “Additionally, there’s a significant change in his or her exercise drive and/or compensatory behaviors (vomiting after eating, abuse of diet pills or laxatives, etc…). These behaviors often mean the person is more entrenched in the eating disorder and is relying on eating disorders behaviors to cope with stress, depression and anxiety.”
Eating Little, and in Ritualized Ways: Maybe he or she is eating a small amount but is cutting it into tiny pieces, eating in some private pattern.
Read more about what parents can do if they observe these signs and symptoms here.
Posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating, Bulimia Nervosa, General, In the News •
Eating Recovery Center In the News: KWGN Denver
Dr. Ken Weiner appeared on KWGN Denver (Channel 2) to discuss how the transition to college is a common time for the development of eating disorders in young adults. He addresses warning signs, how concerned family members can address the issue with their loved ones, and eating disorders treatment resources in the Denver area. Click here to view the segment on KWGN Denver’s website, or simply view the video below.
Posted in About Us, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, General, In the News •
Eating Recovery Center In the News: MomsTeam.com
Eating Disorders: College Athletes at Increased Risk
Research suggests that at least one-third of female college athletes exhibit some form of disordered eating behaviors. In the byline excerpt below, Enola Gorham, Clinical Director of Adult Services at Eating Recovery Center, explains why this phenomenon is so common among college athletes, outlines significant warning signs of eating disorders and offers strategies for parents to intervene and help their children seek treatment. Read the MomsTeam.com byline in its entirety here.
As college freshmen across the U.S. return home for the holidays, thousands of parents will – for the first time – discover eating disorders that developed during their child’s first semester. Because the transition to college is one of the two most common life stages in which eating disorders develop, parents should be vigilant for symptoms of eating disorders as their teens return home for the mid-year break.
For parents of college athletes, this phenomenon should be of particular concern. At least one-third of female college athletes exhibit some form of disordered eating behaviors, according to a 1999 study published by Craig Johnson, PhD, FAED, CEDS, chief clinical officer of the Eating Recovery Center in Denver, Colorado.
For many young adults, the pressures of the first semester of college can create the perfect storm for eating disorders development, and it’s easy for teens to hide behaviors from their families, particularly if they go to school far away from home. Many parents won’t see the outcome of this devastating development until their children return home for winter break.
Dieting to avoid the “freshman 15,” stress from academic and social pressures and anxiety tied to being away from home for the first time are common triggers of first semester eating disorders development. For college athletes, athletic performance pressures and the stress of juggling a full academic load while playing a sport at the collegiate level can exacerbate an already anxiety-ridden situation.
Posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating, Bulimia Nervosa, In the News, Latest Research •
Eating Recovery Center In the News: The Huffington Post
Your Family Tree Can Reveal Your Risk for Eating Disorders
In the latest installment of his blog, Dr. Weiner discusses the genetic link underlying eating disorders, and explains why eating disorders, like heart disease, cancer and obesity, should be among the illnesses we look for in family medical histories. Read an excerpt of the blog post below, or click here to view the article in its entirety at huffingtonpost.com.
It’s not uncommon for individuals to consult their family trees to evaluate their predisposition to various illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and obesity. But a disease that tends to be absent from the checklist of dangerous and highly-inheritable illnesses to look for in family medical histories is eating disorders.
The link between genetics and eating disorders
Most people don’t understand the connection between genetics and eating disorders when, in fact, there is a very strong genetic component to these illnesses.* Research has found that 40 to 50 percent of the risk of developing an eating disorder is based on genetics. Anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by extreme low body weight and a refusal to consume sufficient calories to support bodily functioning, has been found to be as inheritable as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Family studies have also supported the genetic link of eating disorders. Compared with the general population, a woman with a mother or sister who has anorexia is 12 times more likely to develop the disease and four times more likely to develop bulimia nervosa. Twin studies have perhaps shed the most meaningful light on the heredity of eating disorders. Among identical twins, whose genetic makeup is 100 percent the same, there is a 59 percent chance that if one twin has anorexia, the other twin will also develop an eating disorder. Among fraternal twins sharing only 50 percent of their sibling’s genes, the incidence of the illness in both twins was lower but still significant. When one twin has anorexia, there is an 11 percent chance that the other twin will also have the illness.
What exactly do you inherit when it comes to eating disorders?
While research to date has helped bring to light the connection between eating disorders and genetics, there is still much to understand, specifically what is inherited. Studies from both the Maudsley Hospital in London and the University of Pittsburgh suggest that variations in the gene for serotonin receptors may play a role in the development of eating disorders. Abnormal serotonin levels are associated with overall more negative moods and obsessions with perfectionism and exactness.**
Posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Huffington Post, In the News, Latest Research •
Eating Disorders Identified in College Freshmen as They Return Home for Winter Break
Eating Recovery Center Urges Parents to be Vigilant for Eating Disorders Signs
As college freshmen across the U.S. return home for the holidays, thousands of parents will – for the first time – discover eating disorders that developed during their child’s first semester. Because the transition to college is one of the two most common life stages in which eating disorders develop, Eating Recovery Center (www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com), an international center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS and binge eating disorder, encourages parents to be vigilant for symptoms of eating disorders as their teens return home for the mid-year break.
“For many young adults, the pressures of the first semester of college can create the perfect storm for eating disorders development, and it’s easy for teens to hide behaviors from their families – particularly if they go to school far away from home,” explains Bonnie Brennan, MA, LPC, NCC, clinical director of Eating Recovery Center’s Adult Partial Hospitalization Program. “Many parents won’t see the outcome of this devastating development until their children return home for winter break.”
Dieting to avoid the “freshman 15,” stress from academic and social pressures and anxiety tied to being away from home for the first time are common triggers of first semester eating disorders development. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the mean age of eating disorders onset in the U.S. is 19. A 2006 poll of U.S. college campuses conducted by the National Eating Disorders Association found that one in five college students believe that at some point they have suffered from an eating disorder.
To help parents recognize eating disorders in college students and appropriately intervene, Eating Recovery Center highlights five winter break warning signs that may indicate their teen has an eating disorder or could be at risk for developing one:
Noticeable weight loss or weight gain since he or she entered college.
Helping with the preparation of holiday meals but not eating them.
Excessive exercise, even outdoors in poor winter weather conditions.
Withdrawal from family and friends and avoidance of gatherings, even if he or she has not seen loved ones for months.
Discussing college in a “stressed out” or obviously anxious manner or altogether avoiding conversations about school.
“Although parents may be tempted to send their young adult back to school, I strongly urge parents noticing any signs of an eating disorder to actively seek treatment,” explains Brennan. “With eating disorders, early intervention saves lives.”
Parents are encouraged to seek an eating disorders assessment if they notice these or other troubling behaviors in their teens while they are home for winter break. Recovery is entirely possible with early intervention and proper treatment from qualified professionals.
Posted in About Us, Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating, Bulimia Nervosa, General, In the News, Press Releases •
Eating Recovery Center In the News: The Huffington Post
“Eating Disorders Treatment for Children and Adolescents”
In the latest installment of his Huffington Post blog, Dr. Weiner welcomes the insights of Elizabeth Easton, PsyD, on treatment for eating disorders in children and adolescents. As Clinical Director of Child and Adolescent Services at Eating Recovery Center’s Behavioral Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Dr. Easton understands that parents seeking eating disorders treatment for their children and teens face a distinctive set of uncertainties. Read an excerpt of Dr. Easton’s insights below, or click here to read the Huffington Post article in its entirety.
How are child and adolescent eating disorders treatment different from treating eating disorders in adults?
The fundamental aspects of eating disorders treatment tend to be fairly consistent between adults and children and/or teens. Because these illnesses affect both mind and body, treatment providers will generally offer medical support, psychiatric stabilization and medication. Therapeutic support is also offered from skilled clinicians, including individual therapists, family
therapists and dietitians. However, key differences between programs designed for adults and those catering to younger patient populations pertain to the use of developmentally appropriate treatment plans and the availability of education services to help patients progress in K-12 studies during the course of treatment.
Developmentally sound care requires that the treatment team take into consideration not only the chronological age of patients, but also their developmental stage and their readiness to assume key responsibilities in the recovery process. Some patients who are either chronologically or developmentally young may require more assistance from parents regarding key
elements of the recovery process, like refeeding, weight maintenance and compliance with the post-discharge plan of care. Furthermore, seeking effective treatment for your child or teen doesn’t mean that a child or teen’s academic functioning must suffer. Unlike programs for adults, child and adolescent eating disorders treatment can involve an educational component to help patients move forward with their studies to support a seamless transition back to school following treatment.
What should parents look for in an eating disorders treatment center or provider?
Comprehensive care from skilled experts is the most important element to look for when seeking eating disorders treatment for your child or adolescent. Eating disorders are incredibly complex illnesses, and it’s critical to identify a provider with experience treating the diseases in young patient populations and a record of successful treatment outcomes.
Another characteristic that parents should look for in a treatment provider is an educational component. By this, I mean two things. First, look for programs that make a point of educating parents and families about eating disorders and how to support the recovery of their young loved ones following discharge from treatment. Lasting eating disorders recovery for your child hinges in large part on you gaining a thorough understanding of the illness, as well as learning about and practicing effective strategies for helping to manage recovery. Secondly, treatment programs should offer a structured educational component with adequate support from licensed educators to help young patients maintain academic functioning while in treatment. Intensive eating disorders treatment can be disruptive in the life of a child or teen, and every effort should be made to support them in this area of their lives.
Read more from Dr. Easton on The Huffington Post.
Posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating, Bulimia Nervosa, General, Huffington Post, In the News, Treatment Options •
Eating Recovery Center In the News: EverydayHealth.com
Autism and Eating Disorders: Are They Related?
In the most recent installment of her EverydayHealth.com blog, “The Truth About Eating Disorders,” Chief Marketing Officer Julie Holland, MHS, CEDS, explores the connection between autism and eating disorders. Read on for an excerpt of her blog post, or click here to read the post in its entirety.
There has long been scientific speculation about the connection between autism and eating disorders. Although the two disorders don’t always go hand in hand, anorexia nervosa patients share some diagnostic characteristics with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
As many as 20 percent of anorexia patients meet the diagnostic criteria of Asperger’s syndromei, a milder variant of ASD characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. Additionally, a 2010 study from the Primal Health Research Centre in London revealed that females with autism and females with anorexia have strikingly similar brain functionality and are strongly driven by left-brain impulses.ii
Autism and eating disorders have compelling similarities. As found in the 2010 study, there are striking similarities between individuals with anorexia and those with autism. This finding can impact treatment for either disorder. Here are a few more ways these disorders are similar:
1.Both individuals with anorexia and individuals with autism exhibit rigidity in thinking and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
2.Both patient populations have trouble managing change.
3.Girls and women with Asperger’s tend to be perfectionists, similar to individuals with anorexia. They often treat their weight with special interest, exhibiting an obsession with content and calories.
Posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, EverydayHealth.com, General, In the News •
Eating Recovery Center In the News: The Huffington Post
Too Much of a Good Thing? What You Need to Know About Compulsive Over-Exercising
In the most recent post to his Huffington Post blog, Dr. Weiner discusses compulsive over-exercising, and explains how the behavior often occurs alongside eating disorders, as the motivations underlying the excessive physical activity often stem from food-, body- or weight-related issues. Read an excerpt of his article below, or click here to read the article in its entirety.
Exercise is good for you. This shouldn’t come as shocking news to anyone; the risks of a sedentary lifestyle are abundant and well reported, particularly as the country faces a public health crisis in which one-third of adults and 17 percent of children are obese.*
However, like most things in life, you can get too much of a good thing when it comes to exercise. Compulsive over-exercise is characterized by frequent episodes of excessive physical activity. Individuals will go to great lengths to fit exercise regimens into their schedules, even if it means skipping work, cutting school, avoiding social events with friends and family, even exercising in secret. Instead of supporting health, excessive exercise, inadequate rest and recovery time between physical activities can damage a person’s body and overall health, causing joint injuries, tendonitis, stress fractures, muscle tears, exhaustion, fainting and dehydration.
Compulsive exercise often occurs alongside eating disorders, as the motivations underlying the excessive physical activity often stem from food-, body- or weight-related issues. Many over-exercisers will do so as a result of guilt or shame from just having eaten or binged or to give themselves “permission” to eat. (The latter was recently the target of much scrutiny from the eating disorders awareness community when the idea was used humorously in a Yoplait commercial.) In fact, exercise bulimia is a subset of bulimia nervosa in which an individual is compelled to exercise at an overly excessive level in an effort to burn calories and fat. Just as individuals with bulimia purge calories through vomiting or laxative use, exercise bulimics use physical activity as their compensatory behavior. Over-exercising behaviors can also accompany anorexia nervosa when used in conjunction with severe food and calorie restriction.
Posted in Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating, Bulimia Nervosa, General, Huffington Post, In the News •
