Eating Disorders in General Practice
Jenny is 16 years old and is brought in to see you by her mother complaining of dizziness and stomach pains. She has also had a few palpitations. Jenny is doing very well at school and does a lot of sport. Her mother reports that she has anxiety issues and OCD like tendancies and she is wondering if the symptoms are due to stress and anxiety.
You wonder if this is an eating disorder...
Eating disorders are under-reported and under-detected, and have a significant impact physically, psychologically and socially. Approximately 9% of Australians will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives, and this is increasing1. Following asthma and obesity, eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness in adolescent female patients2,3. However, eating disorders affect all genders, all ages and people from all backgrounds1.
Watch the video below from our Hot Topics GP Update course for an update on the prevalence, diagnostic criteria and risk assessment of eating disorders in General Practice. Or click here to download a KISS on the Diagnostic Criteria for Eating Disorders. (The KISS will automatically download on clicking the link).
Join us for Hot Topics 2019 to get even more evidence updates!
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References:
1. The Butterfly Foundation. Submission to Mental Health Commission: Butterfly Foundation for Eating Disorders, 2012.
2. Howe E. Early Detection of Eating Disorders in General Practice. Australian Family Physician 2017
3. Yeo M, Hughes E. Eating disorders – Early identification in general practice. Australian Family Physician 2011
Simon is the Medical Director NB Medical Education, an NHS GP in Oxford and Hon Senior Clinical Lecturer in General Practice, Oxford University.
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