Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses characterized by aberrant eating behaviors and attitudes and associated with significant medical and psychosocial consequences. Eating disorders typically manifest in early adolescence or young adulthood. The course of illness varies, but over time, symptoms often migrate from restrictive eating to other severe practices. These disorders are treatable, and most individuals will recover. Efficacious psychological treatments target disordered eating behaviors; unhealthy attitudes about food, weight, or shape; and physical health. Treatments with the strongest empirical bases include cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy for adults with bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED), and family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN) and BN. Current research efforts are focused on developing a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying eating disorder ...