Treatment of Patients with Eating Disorders
Assessment
Screening for Presence of an Eating Disorder
Statement 1
Initial Evaluation of Eating History
Statement 2
- the patient’s height and weight history (e.g., maximum and minimum weight, recent weight changes);
- presence of, patterns in, and changes in restrictive eating, food avoidance, binge eating, and other eating-related behaviors (e.g., rumination, regurgitation, chewing and spitting);
- patterns and changes in food repertoire (e.g., breadth of food variety, narrowing or elimination of food groups);
- presence of, patterns in, and changes in compensatory and other weight control behaviors, including dietary restriction, compulsive or driven exercise, purging behaviors (e.g., laxative use, self-induced vomiting), and use of medication to manipulate weight;
- percentage of time preoccupied with food, weight, and body shape;
- prior treatment and response to treatment for an eating disorder;
- psychosocial impairment secondary to eating or body image concerns or behaviors; and
- family history of eating disorders, other psychiatric illnesses, and other medical conditions (e.g., obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus).
Quantitative Measures
Statement 3
Identification of Co-Occurring Conditions
Statement 4
Initial Review of Systems
Statement 5
Initial Physical Examination
Statement 6
Initial Laboratory Assessment
Statement 7
Initial Electrocardiogram
Statement 8
Treatment Plan, Including Level of Care
Statement 9
Recommendation Grading
Disclaimer
Overview
Title
Treatment of Patients with Eating Disorders
Authoring Organization
American Psychiatric Association
Publication Month/Year
July 18, 2022
Supplemental Implementation Tools
Document Type
Guideline
Country of Publication
US
Inclusion Criteria
Male, Female, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Older adult
Health Care Settings
Ambulatory, Hospital, Outpatient, School
Intended Users
Nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant, psychologist
Scope
Diagnosis, Assessment and screening, Treatment, Management
Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)
D001068 - Feeding and Eating Disorders, D056912 - Binge-Eating Disorder, D019959 - Feeding and Eating Disorders of Childhood, D004435 - Eating, D000855 - Anorexia, D000856 - Anorexia Nervosa, D002032 - Bulimia, D052018 - Bulimia Nervosa
Keywords
eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, eating disorder
Source Citation
American Psychiatric Association: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Eating Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Publishing 2023.