Abstract:
The majority of people with eating disorders (ED) are of higher-weight yet EDs are minimized, underreported and often go untreated in these individuals. These individuals are half as likely to receive a clinical diagnosis of an eating disorder from a health care practitioner as those who were of normal weight or underweight. This lack of diagnosis and subsequent treatment is attributable to several things including a general lack of knowledge and awareness of EDs as well as the biased belief that only very thin people have EDs. Untreated EDs set patients up for increased medical complications and difficulty with weight management options. The seriousness of EDs is startling. They have the second highest mortality rate of any mental health condition and up to 20% of those with anorexia nervosa attempt suicide and as many as 43% report suicidal ideation.
We are all well-versed in the language and knowledge of obesity. We are aware of weight bias and, for the most part, we practice what we preach and we often preach/advocate outside of our jobs – be it political, educational, and/or personal advocacy. We are generally not so well-versed on the topic of EDs particularly when in conjunction with obesity. The overall sense is that having obesity precludes having EDs and especially anorexia nervosa (AN). After all, how could someone have anorexia with overweight or obesity?
Our presentation focuses on the use of the patient experience coupled with clinical expertise. Patient advocacy is an effective way to affect clinical practice changes and we will bring this aspect into the presentation providing first-hand insights into the personal and clinical care experiences.
In order to treat patients with EDs, it is imperative to have knowledge about EDs – the types, the patient profiles, the risks, etc. as well as consider whether biases exist about EDs. We will explore these topics providing guidelines for care and resources for additional learning.
Obesity and EDs are deeply interconnected and treating them as separate issues does a disservice to those who are struggling. The reality is that many individuals live in the overlap between these conditions, fighting a daily battle between wanting to lose weight and feeling powerless against disordered eating patterns. By approaching these issues with science-backed interventions, we can help break the cycle and create a healthier, more supportive environment for those affected.
