Eating Disorders Blog

According to a new joint study by the University of Minnesota, University of Texas, and St. John's University researchers, vegetarians have healthier diets but are also at higher risk for eating disorders. The team analyzed more that 2,500 males and females aged 15-23. Vegetarian adolescents and young adults were more likely than non-vegetarians to report binge eating with loss of control. In addition, study results indicated that vegetarians may be at higher risk for unhealthy weight-control behaviors such as diet pills, vomiting, laxatives, and diuretics.
(Source: www.littleabout.com)

Labels: binge-eating, vegetarians, risks

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Girls who have high levels of estradiol, a form of estrogen, at puberty are more likely to develop eating disorders, according to a new study from Michigan State University.

Psychology professor Kelly Klump and her colleagues measured the amount of estradiol in the bloodstream of 200 sets of twin girls ages 10 to 15 years old. Increases in this hormone apparently activate a genetic risk for eating disorders.

"The reason we see an increase in genetic influences during puberty is that the genes for disordered eating are essentially switched on during that time," said Dr. Klump.

This study appeared in the journal Psychological Medicine.
 

Labels: risks, puberty

Posted By: Eating Disorders Blog 0 Comments

The prevalence of eating disorders is 50 percent higher among Orthodox Jewish girls than in the general population. After being approached by the Jewish Orthodox Union with this problem, the Philadelphia-based Renfrew Center is starting a specialized treatment programs geared specifically for this group of patients .

"It took a lot of courage for the Orthodox Union to approach us," said Adrienne Ressler, Renfrew's training director. "We wanted to help families get past the shame of admitting the problem."

Treating Orthodox Jewish girls with eating disorders is complicated by factors including the community's kosher food rules and the complexity of a tight-knit culture.

"The control of food that is necessary in Judaism is very different than the control around someone with an eating disorder," said Dr. David Hahn, a psychiatrist specializing in eating disorders. "It may look the same, but it's not."

Labels: girls, risks, jewish

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment