Enhancing Healthcare Provider Awareness and Early Detection of Adolescent Eating Disorder

Authors : Mücahit Fidan, Aylin Yetim Şahin

Pages : 53-60

Doi:10.26650/jchild.2024.1423409

View : 22 | Download : 18

Publication Date : 2024-05-07

Article Type : Review Paper

Abstract :Eating disorders are mental health conditions characterized by abnormal eating or weight control behaviors, which can result in severe health complications and hinder overall wellbeing or social functioning. These disorders are acknowledged to stem from a combination of individual, genetic, and environmental factors, alongside societal pressure to maintain a thin physique. Research indicates that some young individuals with eating disorders may postpone seeking specialized care by concealing their symptoms due to a lack of awareness among healthcare providers and feelings of shame or stigma. Screening measures have been devised to mitigate the risk of underdiagnosing and inadequately treating eating disorders. Nevertheless, the prevalence of these disorders has doubled in recent years. Consequently, it is crucial to enhance healthcare providers’ awareness of this issue, implement screening protocols in high-risk populations, and conduct annual assessments of adolescents’ eating behaviors, body image perception, exercise habits, as part of psychosocial evaluations, alongside measurements of weight, height, and body mass index measurements during physical examinations, to facilitate early identification and intervention for adolescent eating disorders.
Keywords : Adolescent, eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL