Earlier diagnosis in anorexia nervosa: better watch growth charts!

[Consenso del grupo de trabajo de los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria de SENPE (GTTCA-SENPE). Evaluación y tratamiento médico-nutricional en la anorexia nerviosa. Actualización 2023]

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a multifactorial disorder. A possible role of the social network and the gut microbiota in pathogenesis has been added. Exogenous shocks such as the COVID19 pandemic have had a negative impact on patients with AN. The potential medical and nutritional impact of malnutrition and/or compensatory behaviors gives rise to a complex disease with a wide range of severity, the management of which requires a multidisciplinary team with a high level of subject matter expertise. Coordination between levels of care is necessary as well as understanding how to transition the patient from pediatric to adult care is essential. A proper clinical evaluation can detect possible complications, as well as establish the organic risk of the patient. This allows caregivers to tailor the medical-nutritional treatment for each patient. Reestablishing adequate nutritional behaviors is a fundamental pillar of treatment in AN. The design of a personalized nutritional treatment and education program is necessary for this purpose. Depending on the clinical severity, artificial nutrition may be necessary. Although the decision regarding the level of care necessary at diagnosis or during follow-up depends on a number of factors (awareness of the disease, medical stability, complications, suicidal risk, outpatient treatment failure, psychosocial context, etc.), outpatient treatment is the most frequent and most preferred choice. However, more intensive care (total or partial hospitalization) may be necessary in certain cases. In severely malnourished patients, the appearance of refeeding syndrome should be prevented during renourishment. The presence of AN in certain situations (pregnancy, vegetarianism, type 1 diabetes mellitus) requires specific care. Physical activity in these patients must also be addressed correctly.

2023 International Olympic Committee's (IOC) consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs)

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) was first introduced in 2014 by the International Olympic Committee's expert writing panel, identifying a syndrome of deleterious health and performance outcomes experienced by female and male athletes exposed to low energy availability (LEA; inadequate energy intake in relation to exercise energy expenditure). Since the 2018 REDs consensus, there have been >170 original research publications advancing the field of REDs science, including emerging data demonstrating the growing role of low carbohydrate availability, further evidence of the interplay between mental health and REDs and more data elucidating the impact of LEA in males. Our knowledge of REDs signs and symptoms has resulted in updated Health and Performance Conceptual Models and the development of a novel Physiological Model. This Physiological Model is designed to demonstrate the complexity of either problematic or adaptable LEA exposure, coupled with individual moderating factors, leading to changes in health and performance outcomes. Guidelines for safe and effective body composition assessment to help prevent REDs are also outlined. A new REDs Clinical Assessment Tool-Version 2 is introduced to facilitate the detection and clinical diagnosis of REDs based on accumulated severity and risk stratification, with associated training and competition recommendations. Prevention and treatment principles of REDs are presented to encourage best practices for sports organisations and clinicians. Finally, methodological best practices for REDs research are outlined to stimulate future high-quality research to address important knowledge gaps.

What Is Going on with Childhood?

Several studies have shown that the age of onset of psychopathology is decreasing, and that at least some clinical manifestations (e [...].

Linear growth in young people with restrictive eating disorders: "Inching" toward consensus

Background

While the assessment of acute medical stability in patients with eating disorders should never be minimized, careful attention toward other specific age-related consequences of malnutrition can improve psychological outcomes and reduce long-term, potentially irreversible medical complications, like linear growth impairment.

Review

While the impact of malnutrition on linear growth is widely recognized, emerging data highlight consensus in several key areas: the time from onset to time of diagnosis, age at illness onset, pubertal stage at illness onset, and adequacy of weight restoration to achieve catch-up growth. This review provides concrete and actionable steps to help providers identify and explore deviations in expected growth and development while prioritizing early and aggressive weight restoration to provide the best opportunity for catch-up linear growth in patients with eating disorders.

Conclusion

The impact of restrictive eating disorders on growth and development cannot be overstated, particularly in pre- and peripubertal patients. While many consequences of malnutrition are reversible, the loss of genetic height potential may prove irreversible without early and aggressive weight restoration.

Unique considerations for the medical care of restrictive eating disorders in children and young adolescents

BACKGROUND

The medical complications of eating disorders are often approached through an age-neutral lens. However, children and young adolescents may have unique medical complications related to the energy needs and timing of growth and development. Providers caring for patients in this vulnerable age range should understand how to identify, approach, and manage these potential age-related complications.

REVIEW

Evidence continues to accumulate that increasingly younger patients are being diagnosed with eating disorders. These children and young adolescents have significant risk for unique and potentially irreversible medical complications. Without early identification and treatment, restrictive eating disorders may negatively impact linear growth, bone development and brain maturation in children and young adolescents. Additionally, due to the energy needs of growth and development, unique considerations exist for the use of acute medical stabilization and the identification of patients at risk for refeeding syndrome with initial nutritional rehabilitation. This review presents an approach to the evaluation and management of children and young adolescents with eating disorders.

CONCLUSION

Children and young adolescents with restrictive eating disorders may have unique medical complications related to the energy needs and timing of linear growth and pubertal development. Significant risk exists for irreversible medical complications of impaired growth, bone, and brain health. Increased awareness of the energy needs for growth and development may improve early recognition, appropriate intervention, and future outcomes for children and young adolescents with restrictive eating disorders.

Why do queer men experience negative body image? A narrative review and testable stigma model

Queer men (i.e., men who are not heterosexual; sexual minority men) are disproportionately affected by negative body image - they experience greater body dissatisfaction are more likely to develop eating disorders than heterosexual men. While existing literature has examined individual-level predictors of negative body image for queer men, less is known about why queer men as a group are disproportionately affected by negative body image. By synthesising existing theoretical frameworks, research, policy, and media reporting, this narrative review moves towards an understanding of systemic-level negative body image for queer men. Through the lens of hegemonic masculinity, we explain how systemic experiences of stigma work to inform unattainable appearance standards for queer men, and how these standards then contribute to pervasive negative body image concerns among this community. Next, we describe how systemic stigma works to exacerbate negative health outcomes for queer men with body image concerns. Finally, we present a synthesized model of the processes outlined in this review, articulate testable predictions for future studies, and describe practical implications that could be widely employed to improve body image for queer men. Our review is the first to propose a comprehensive explanation of systemic negative body image for queer men.

Gender and sex in eating disorders: A narrative review of the current state of knowledge, research gaps, and recommendations

INTRODUCTION

Eating disorders (EDs) have long been considered conditions exclusively affecting women, and studies in the ED field regularly exclude men. Research efforts are needed to better understand the role of gender and sex in EDs. This review describes the role of gender and sex in the development of EDs from a biopsychosocial perspective.

METHODS

The primary hypothesis of this narrative review is that gender and sex interact to influence ED risk. The literature review was conducted using the PubMed database.

RESULTS

This review first presents the general characteristics and prevalence of EDs according to gender and sex. Next, neurodevelopmental processes, neurobiology, gender roles, body image, and the minority stress model are addressed. Lastly, research perspectives to better include gender and sex in the field of EDs are discussed (e.g., representation of gender and sex diversities, development of appropriate assessment tools, and increasing awareness).

CONCLUSION

Although substantial knowledge gaps remain, there is a growing recognition of the importance of integrating gender and sex in ED research that holds promise for further development in the field.

Promising effect of multi-family therapy on BMI, eating disorders and perceived family functioning in adolescent anorexia nervosa: an uncontrolled longitudinal study

This contribution reports on the results of an uncontrolled longitudinal study investigating the effects of a Multi-Family Therapy (MFT) as treatment for adolescent Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and the role played by perceived family functioning in these effects. 150 patients (144 females) and their families took part in an MFT and were assessed at the beginning, middle, end of the therapy, as well as 6 and 12 months after the end of therapy. BMI, eating disorders symptomatology (EDI-II) and perceived family functioning (FAD) all improved over the time of MFT, and these benefits remained at both times of follow-up. Ultimately, we found that the improvement of some dimensions of family functioning (i.e., roles, communication, and general family functioning) mediated the improvement of several dimensions of symptomatology (i.e., ineffectiveness, impulsivity, social insecurity, interpersonal distrust). These observations provide further support for MFT as useful for improving mental health, weight restoration, and perceived family functioning of adolescents with AN.