Describe a typical developmental pathway for the course of eating disorders. Identify a point where intervention might be particularly effective and what type of interventions should be used

What will be an ideal response?

• Most adolescents have brief and self-limiting symptoms related to eating (about 70% recover)
• Some adolescents exhibit fluctuations of weight loss and gain
• Some adolescents continue to struggle and/or deteriorate over time and are usually hospitalized
• Age of onset has two peak times: childhood to adolescence and adolescence to adulthood
• Young adolescents are most likely to be develop anorexia while older adolescents develop bulimia
• Prevention is the best course of action (universal programs promoting healthy life styles)
• Early intervention provides the best outcomes (medical, dietary, family, individual)
• Later intervention may require medical stabilization and/or hospitalization
• Relapse is common and should be planned for in treatment
• Cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders is a common and effective treatment
• Medication can be used for bulimia and/or to treat underlying psychopathologies