Assessment of physical status of children and adolescents with eating disorders and obesity.

Abstract

Disordered eating results in a wide spectrum of diseases. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia may be glamorized in the media and other conditions, such as obesity, are often associated with shame or disgust. Regardless, the eating disorders and obesity represent a major public health problem in the United States and other industrialized countries (Mitchell & Eckert, 1987). Eating disorders affect large numbers of persons, and in particular target adolescent and young adult women (Yager, Anderson, Duelin, Mitchell, & Pavers, 1993). Unfortunately, these disorders carry high morbidity rates and the highest mortality rates of any category of psychiatric illness (Hoffman & Halmi, 1993; Herzog 6r Bradburn, 1992).Focusing exclusively on psychological aspects of care can result in devastating consequences (Colling & King, 1994;Crisp, Callender, Halek, & Higbee, 1992;Ratnasuriya, Eisler, Szmukler, & Russell, 1991). Optimal treatment involves a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates medical management as an integral part of the overall care of eating-disordered and obese patients (Harris, 1986).AN is characterized by self-imposed starvarion. Patients with AN refuse to eat, lose at least 15% of their body weight, are amenorrheic, have an intense fear of becoming fat, and have a distorted body image (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In children and prepubescent adolescents AN may be manifested by weight loss or by a failure to grow (Baran, Weltzin, & Kay, 1995). Bulimia nervosa (BN) is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating. Bulimics engage in behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as purging and excessive exercise. To meet strict criteria for BN, the bingeing and compensatory activities must occur at least twice a week for three I71

The Role of Addictive Behaviors in Childhood Obesity

“…Childhood obesity has risen over the last few decades and continues to be the leading health-related concern for youth [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Obesity has been linked to health problems; for example, being overweight in youth has been shown to place individuals at greater risk for pulmonary difficulties, cancer, and type II diabetes mellitus [7,8]. In terms of psychosocial adjustment, youth who are overweight suffer difficulties related to quality of life [9], teasing [10], and overall emotional distress [11,12].…”

Eating Disorders in Paraguayan Adolescents

“…Eating disorders have serious physical and emotional effects (Hill & Pomeroy, 2001;Keel, 2006), especially among children (Garvin & Striegel-Moore, 2001;McDermott & Jaffa, 2005). In fact, anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of all mental disorders (Millar et al, 2005).…”

Assessment of overweight children and adolescents.

“…Therefore, although in this chapter we focus on assessment techniques used by mental health professionals, we must emphasize that a collaborative relationship with a child's or adolescent's pediatrician or family practitioner is necessary for ideal assessment and management. A number of excellent reviews regarding medical assessment for overweight and obesity have been written and may be of interest to the reader (Hatahet & Dhurandhar, 2004;Hill & Pomeroy, 2001;Whitlock, Williams, Gold, Smith, & Shipman, 2005).…”