We all know that the Internet can be a dangerous place for people with eating disorders, but can it also help them get better?

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Chances are you’ve heard of the internet. Unless you’re reading this after it’s been transcribed onto some parchment and brought to you by a psychologically-interested crow in which case you’ve got some further research to do. In terms of eating disorders, most people may associate the internet with those ghastly pro-anorexia sites which for reasons [read the full story…]

The overall incidence of eating disorders increased between 2000 and 2009, says new register-based UK study

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Eating disorders are chronic conditions associated with high mortality and morbidity as highlighted by a previous Mental Elf blog in 2011. Eating disorders are categorised into three main groups: i. Anorexia Nervosa (AN), ii. Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and iii. Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS). Using ICD 10 criteria, EDNOS includes atypical AN and atypical BN as well [read the full story…]

Cost effectiveness analysis finds stepped care to be cheaper and more effective than CBT for bulimia nervosa

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Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder; the diagnosis of which requires: persistent preoccupation with eating and an irresistible craving for food, episodes of overeating in which large amounts of food are consumed over a short period of time and potentially attempts to counteract the “fattening” effects of food by self-induced vomiting or laxative abuse. [read the full story…]

New guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders

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The 8 year old NICE guideline on eating disorders should be updated fairly soon. In the meantime, researchers in Germany have published a new clinical practice guideline on anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. The guideline contains evidence- and consensus-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. The guideline is available in [read the full story…]

What is the relationship between eating disorders and crystal meth use?

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Epidemiological studies show that 50% of individuals with eating disorders abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, conversely up to 35% of those who abuse substances have eating disorders (ref: CASA report). Little is known about the association between eating disorders and methamphetamine (commonly known as crystal meth) use. Many methamphetamine users say that they take the [read the full story…]

Mortality rates in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified: new meta-analysis

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The rates of morbidity and mortality in eating disorders are thought to be high, but the exact rates were not known before this meta analysis published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The authors set out to systematically compile and analyze the mortality rates in individuals with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise [read the full story…]