Eating disorders: current concepts.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To review for the community pharmacist common eating disorders and suggest strategies for pharmacist-directed patient education. DATA SOURCES: Current literature. DATA SYNTHESIS: Women are much more likely than men to develop eating disorders, and Western culture's emphasis on thinness contributes to the prevalence of eating disorders in the United States. Regardless of the type, all eating disorders are rooted in emotions, often traced to problems during adolescence. Anorexia nervosa patients continually set and strive to obtain lower goal weights to the point that their general well-being is compromised. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by excessive eating followed by purging that is an apparent attempt to relieve the tension and guilt associated with the initial overeating. Rather than directly dealing with tension and anger, a patient suffering from binge eating overindulges in food. Most overeaters are aware that excess weight is detrimental to their health, but they cannot control their overeating behavior. CONCLUSION: In treating eating disorders, it is important to address patients' emotional and psychological needs as well as physical symptoms. Patients often need encouragement to seek and continue treatment, and pharmacists are in an ideal position to provide that support.