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Academy For Eating Disorders Releases Free Publication For General Practitioners

front coverThe Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) — a global professional association committed to leadership in eating disorders research, education, treatment and prevention — is pleased to announce a new informational resource, “Eating Disorders: Critical Points for Early Recognition and Medical Risk Management in the Care of Individuals with Eating Disorders,” which is now freely accessible on their website. Check the end of this report for a link to download this publication.

This document, the first of its kind intended to provide guidance specific to managing eating disorders in primary-care practice, offers key guidelines, a list of signs, symptoms and strategies to help general practitioners make an early diagnosis, medically stabilize patients, and support evidence-based care for patients with eating disorders.

The majority of individuals with an eating disorder present for care in primary care or clinical specialty settings (e.g., in family practice, pediatrics, or gynecology clinics) in which health professionals may have received only limited or no formal training in assessment and management of these potentially lethal disorders.

The earlier an eating disorder is diagnosed and treated, the better a patient’s chance of recovery. The AED’s new resource aims to help health professionals in primary care and clinical specialty settings get a handle on eating disorders quickly. “Too many patients with eating disorders don’t get expert care until after a long period of illness,” explains Mark Warren, M.D., medical director of the Cleveland Center for Eating Disorders. “Better information in the hands of primary care physicians will be of huge value to those who suffer from eating disorders.”

Good information can potentially make the difference between getting well and becoming chronically ill. “Our hope is that professionals, patients, and families will access this material to ensure that care is prompt, safe and supported by evidence, and that each person with an eating disorder has the opportunity for a full recovery and a productive life,” says Ovidio Bermudez, M.D., medical director of adolescent services at Eating Recovery Center in Denver, Colorado.

Drs. Bermudez and Warren co-chair the Task Force on Medical Care Standards that wrote the new guidelines, which have been vetted by experts in the field of eating disorders from around the world.

Material adapted from Academy for Eating Disorders (AED).

Download / Reference
Academy for Eating Disorders (2011). Eating Disorders: Critical Points for Early Recognition and Medical Risk Management in the Care of Individuals with Eating Disorders. Published online.

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2 Responses to Academy For Eating Disorders Releases Free Publication For General Practitioners

  1. avatar
    AML May 20, 2011 at 1:49 AM #

    Eating disorder can be life threatening, I just saw a video about a french girl who is literally just skin and bones and has lots of health problems, from bones to her organs, poor girl. This post is a good tip for moms. Please watch out for the early symptoms of eating disorders in your kids. The earlier it’s cured, the better.

    • avatar
      Christopher Fisher, PhD May 20, 2011 at 6:54 AM #

      That’s good advice about catching these disorders early. Eating disorders are very difficult to treat. They can be very frustrating for everyone involved, including the healthcare professional. The solution is simple: eat more food (and keep it down). But it is extremely (and surprisingly) difficult to accomplish in this complex disorder.

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