Identifying and Preventing Eating Disorders in Adolescent Patients with Obesity

Abstract

Adolescents with obesity are not immune to developing disordered eating and eating disorders. They most commonly present with atypical or subthreshold criterion due to excess body weight or questions regarding the presence of a distorted body image. Patients with premorbid overweight/obesity and subsequent achievement of weight loss may lead to delays in the recognition and treatment of disordered eating and eating disorders. In fact, disordered eating and eating disorders tend to be higher in those undergoing weight management. This article describes risk factors for the development of eating disorders, common features of eating disorders in adolescents with obesity, and provides recommendations for prevention strategies. [Pediatr Ann. 2018;47(6):e232-e237.].

Household food insecurity: associations with disordered eating behaviours and overweight in a population-based sample of adolescents

“…Previous results reported by our team and others reveal that both binge eating (33,49,70) and restrictive eating (33,36,71) are positively associated with overweight. Despite these findings, food insecurity, disordered eating and overweight are most often investigated and addressed as separate and unrelated (33,(72)(73)(74)(75)(76)(77) . In recent years, some attention has been paid to the overlap between overweight and disordered eating in adolescents, but the role of food insecurity is generally not included in such discussions (33,(72)(73)(74)(75)(76)(77) .…”

“…Despite these findings, food insecurity, disordered eating and overweight are most often investigated and addressed as separate and unrelated (33,(72)(73)(74)(75)(76)(77) . In recent years, some attention has been paid to the overlap between overweight and disordered eating in adolescents, but the role of food insecurity is generally not included in such discussions (33,(72)(73)(74)(75)(76)(77) . Healthcare providers who work with adolescents should be aware that disordered eating, food insecurity and overweight are prevalent problems that can co-occur and may perhaps exacerbate one another.…”

Prevalence of Risk of Eating Disorders and its Association with Obesity and Fitness

“…As in other studies [5,6,48], our results showed that higher levels of obesity were associated with the risk of FEDs in both men and women. Obesity and FEDs are not considered mutually exclusive conditions [12], and thus, it is important to define common symptomatology and risk factors between obesity and FEDs where different psychosocial, behavioral and cognitive risk factors have been de-▶table 3 Difference of means in adiposity and physical fitness in college students with and without risk of eating disorders controlling for age, by sex. scribed; among the most common worth mentioning are weightrelated teasing by family and friends, internalization of the cultural beauty ideal, weight concerns, body dissatisfaction, dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors [12,47,49].…”

“…Obesity and FEDs are not considered mutually exclusive conditions [12], and thus, it is important to define common symptomatology and risk factors between obesity and FEDs where different psychosocial, behavioral and cognitive risk factors have been de-▶table 3 Difference of means in adiposity and physical fitness in college students with and without risk of eating disorders controlling for age, by sex. scribed; among the most common worth mentioning are weightrelated teasing by family and friends, internalization of the cultural beauty ideal, weight concerns, body dissatisfaction, dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors [12,47,49]. Today's society idealizes thinness and stigmatizes fatness; thus, the risk of FEDs is more common in overweight or obese young people since dissatisfaction with body self-image is a factor influencing many teenagers to develop eating disorders in an attempt to adapt their physical appearance to the current societal canons of beauty [5,[50][51][52].…”

“…In college students, it is necessary to promote healthy habits, including good levels of physical fitness, and to prevent excess body fat to effectively prevent eating disorders. multaneously in the same individual [12]. Moreover, it has been suggested that adolescents involved in dieting and weight-control behavior interventions are at an increased risk of FEDs; thus, shifts away from drastic dieting and weight-control to healthful eating and daily movement behavior have been recommended [13].…”