Understanding Eating Disorders: Critical Components of Assessment and Treatment: SELF-PACED ONLINE

Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any mental illness and are unique among mental health disorders in that they manifest in physical, behavioral and mental health complications. Each can lead to serious and life-threatening illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, organ failure and even death if not treated. Anorexia Nervosa is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. Young women who suffer from this illness have a mortality rate that is 12 times higher than average, making it the mental health illness with the highest premature mortality rate. If left untreated, eating disorders tend to become more severe and less receptive to treatment. (Becker, Franko, Nussbaum, &

Herzog, 2004; Fichter, Quadflieg, & Hedlund, 2006).

It is important to acknowledge that developing an eating disorder is not a conscious choice. Adolescents suffering from eating disorders often do not understand the severity of their illness and are thus reluctant to seek help or commit to the appropriate level of intensity of intervention. Their families and support systems may also be blinded to the condition and need for immediate treatment. To prevent chronic malnutrition, long-term health complications and death, it is critical to pursue early and intensive intervention strategies. Detecting and treating eating disorders as soon as possible saves

lives. When considering the scope of the impact of eating disorders on a global scale, understanding a few important empirically based facts is critical:

• Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 with anorexia have 10 times the risk of dying compared to their same-aged peers.

  Smink, F. E., van Hoeken, D., & Hoek, H. W. (2012). Epidemiology of eating disorders: Incidence, prevalence and mortality rates. Current Psychiatry Reports, 14(4), 406-414. Fichter, M. M., & Quadflieg, N. (2016). Mortality in eating disorders – Results of a large prospective clinical longitudinal study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, Epub ahead of print.

• Males represent 25% of individuals with anorexia nervosa, and they are at a higher risk of dying, in part because they are often diagnosed later since many people assume males don’t have eating disorders.

  Mond, J.M., Mitchison, D., & Hay, P. (2014) “Prevalence and implications of eating disordered behavior in men” in Cohn, L., Lemberg, R. (2014) Current Findings on Males with Eating Disorders. Philadelphia, PA: Routledge.

• In a study of Division 1 NCAA athletes, over one-third of female athletes reported attitudes and symptoms placing them at risk for anorexia nervosa.

  Johnson, C. Powers, P.S., and Dick, R. Athletes and Eating Disorders: The National Collegiate Athletic Association Study, Int J Eat Disord 1999; 6:179.

• Eating disorders are associated with some of the highest levels of medical and social disability of any psychiatric disorder.

  Klump KL, Bulik CK, Kaye W, Treasure J, Tyson E. Academy for Eating Disorders Position Paper: Eating Disorders are Serious Mental Illnesses. Int J Eat Disord. 2009 Mar;42(2):97-103. doi: 10.1002/eat.20589.

Learning Objectives:

Following this training, participants will be able to:

• identify patterns of disordered eating

• assess for eating disorders -diagnose eating disorders

• make appropriate level of care recommendations for eating disorders

• understand basics of the ethical treatment of eating disorders

Presented by: Kat Geiger, LCSW, CEDS-S, PMH-C

Continuing Education Units: 6 CEUs
This learning event is approved for CEUs by the following professional organizations:

• National

• National Association of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC)

• International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC)

• Nevada

• Nevada Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug, & Gambling Counselors

• Nevada State Board of Nursing

• Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors

• State of Nevada Board of Examiners for Social Workers

Presentation materials are not for reproduction or distribution without specific written authorization. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in our courses are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of CASAT

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